drain

drain
▪ I. drain drain 1 [dreɪn] noun [countable usually singular]
a drain on something something that continuously uses up a lot of money, time, or effort:

• This project has been a serious drain on our financial resources.

  [m0] ▪ II. drain drain 2 verb [transitive]
to use too much of something so that there is not enough left:

• The high cost of road maintenance is draining funds from the local government budget.

• Huge imports were draining the country's currency reserves.

* * *

Ⅰ.
drain UK US /dreɪn/ noun [C, usually singular]
► something that uses too much of your energy, money, or time: »

Having a big mortgage is a real drain on your earnings.

 »

Unexpected repairs to the building have been a huge drain on our financial resources.

 »

The company's pension liability has become a cash drain.

● down the drain — Cf. down the drain
→ See also BRAIN DRAIN(Cf. ↑brain drain)
Ⅱ.
drain UK US /dreɪn/ verb
► [T] to reduce or remove a large amount of something: drain sth from sth »

The government is enforcing a deal that allows it to drain billions from miners' pension schemes.

 drain reserves/resources »

They took on work that was not profitable, draining cash resources.

► [I] to disappear gradually: »

How can we make sure business does not drain out of the country?

 »

The riches lured in too much competition and profits are now beginning to drain away.


Financial and business terms. 2012.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • drain — drain …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • drain — [ drɛ̃ ] n. m. • 1849; mot angl., de to drain « dessécher » 1 ♦ Agric. Conduit souterrain, servant à évacuer l eau des sols trop humides. Les drains se jettent dans des collecteurs (⇒ drainage) . ♢ Par ext. Fossé. 2 ♦ (1859) Tube destiné à… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Drain — 〈[drɛın] od. [ drɛ̃:] m. 6〉 1. 〈Med.〉 Gummiröhrchen mit seitl. Öffnungen zur Drainage (GummiDrain) 2. 〈österr., schweiz. Schreibung für〉 Drän [engl., „Abfluss, künstl. Abflusskanal“] * * * I Drain   [dt. »Abfluss«] das, eine der drei Elektroden… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Drain — Drain, n. 1. The act of draining, or of drawing off; gradual and continuous outflow or withdrawal; as, the drain of specie from a country; the project is a drain on resources. [1913 Webster] 2. That means of which anything is drained; a channel;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • drain — index consume, decrease, decrement, deplete, diminish, dissipate (expend foolishly), exhaust (deplete), expen …   Law dictionary

  • drain — drain·age; drain·er; drain·er·man; drain·less; sub·drain; un·drain·able; drain; …   English syllables

  • Drain — (dr[=a]n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Drained} (dr[=a]nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Draining}.] [AS. drehnigean to drain, strain; perh. akin to E. draw.] 1. To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to cause the exhaustion of. [1913 …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • drain — ► VERB 1) cause the liquid in (something) to run out. 2) (of liquid) run off or out. 3) become dry as liquid runs off. 4) deprive of strength or resources. 5) drink the entire contents of. ► NOUN 1) a channel or pipe carrying off …   English terms dictionary

  • Drain — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Drain País …   Wikipedia Español

  • Drain — [drɛ̃:] u. Drän der; s, s <über fr. drain aus gleichbed. engl. drain zu to drain »ableiten, abfließen lassen«, eigtl. »austrocknen«>: 1. Röhrchen aus Gummi od. anderem Material mit seitlichen Öffnungen (Med.); vgl. ↑Drainage. 2. svw. ↑Drän …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • Drain — Drain, v. i. 1. To flow gradually; as, the water of low ground drains off. [1913 Webster] 2. To become emptied of liquor by flowing or dropping; as, let the vessel stand and drain. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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