English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
When it rains, it pours
Meaning
The idiom "when it rains, it pours" means that when something bad happens, it often happens all at once, and in rapid succession. It suggests that a series of misfortunes or negative events tend to occur together.
Usage
- When I lost my job, it seemed like everything else in my life went wrong too - my car broke down, my cat got sick, and I had a fight with my family.
- After the big storm hit the city, the power went out for hours, and then my house flooded.
- When I was going through a rough patch in my relationship, all of my friends started to drift away from me.
- It's like when you have a bad day, everything seems to be going wrong.
- After the plane crash, the airline had to cancel all of its flights for the rest of the day.
Roots and History
The idiom "when it rains, it pours" dates back to the 16th century, with the first recorded use appearing in print in a collection of proverbs by John Heywood in 1546. The phrase comes from the idea that when it rains heavily, everything gets wet and falls apart. This was often seen as a metaphor for life, where misfortune can come all at once and cause chaos. Over time, the idiom has taken on a more general meaning, referring to any series of negative events that happen together. It suggests that bad things tend to happen in clusters, rather than one at a time.
Synonyms in English
- When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.
- When hard times come, they come in bundles.
- When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
- When the storm hits, it hits all at once.
- When it rains, it pours - a saying used to express that bad things often happen together.
Synonyms in other languages
- La pluie se mélange avec l'eau de la mare, et le chat tombe dans la rivière (French) - This literal translation means "The rain mixes with the pond water and the cat falls into the river." It conveys the idea of a series of misfortunes happening together.
- 当你的世界靠近崩溃时，崩溃就会不断发生 (Chinese) - This translation means "When your world is about to collapse, the collapsing will continue." It describes the idea that negative events tend to occur in clusters.
- החיון מעשרנה כהאגות החיון (Hebrew) - This literal translation means "The egg is divided into many yolks." It conveys the idea of a series of negative events happening together.
- انهذة الليدقة، وتسردعكم أحل البمجوض (Arabic) - This translation means "Your days are scattered, and you fear the coming of the day." It describes the idea that negative events tend to occur in clusters.
- في اللقبة هناكم ليدقة، وتسردعكم الشحم من اليدقة (Arabic) - This literal translation means "In the ball, there are scattered days, and you fear the coming of the ball from the days." It conveys the idea that negative events tend to occur in clusters.