Rain cats and dogs
Meaning
To rain cats and dogs means that it is raining extremely heavily.
Origin
Imagine 17th-century London, a city without proper drainage systems, where heavy rains transformed narrow streets into rushing torrents. Filth, debris, and the unfortunate carcasses of small animals—cats and dogs among them—would be swept along by the deluge. As these bodies were carried through the gutters and sometimes even washed up unexpectedly, it created a ghastly spectacle. The sheer volume and force of such downpours, combined with the sight of these poor creatures seemingly "raining" from above or being churned through the streets, painted a vivid, chaotic picture, making the phrase "rain cats and dogs" a grimly evocative description for a truly torrential storm.
Examples
- Don't forget your umbrella; it's going to rain cats and dogs this afternoon.
- We had to cancel the picnic because it started to rain cats and dogs unexpectedly.