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.
2. That means of which anything is drained; a channel; a trench; a water course; a sewer; a sink.
3. pl. The grain from the mashing tub; as, brewers'
drains. [Eng.]
Halliwell.
Box drain, Counter drain. See under Box, Counter. --
Right of drain (Law), an easement or servitude by which one
man has a right to convey water in pipes through or over the estate of another. Kent.
Drain , v. i. 1. To
flow gradually; as, the water
of low ground drains off.
2. To become emptied of liquor by
flowing or dropping; as, let the vessel stand and drain.
Drain (drān), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Drained (drānd); 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.
Fountains drain the water from the ground adjacent.
Bacon. But
it was not alone that the he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.
Motley. 2. To exhaust of
liquid contents by drawing them off; to make gradually dry or empty;
to remove surface water, as from streets, by gutters, etc.; to deprive of moisture; hence, to exhaust; to empty of wealth, resources, or the like; as,
to drain a country of
its specie.
Sinking waters, the firm land
to drain,
Filled the capacious deep and formed the main.
Roscommon.
3. To filter.
Salt water, drained through twenty vessels of earth, hath become fresh.
Bacon.
Hear it pronounced