Raining cats and dogs — To rain extremely heavily. It is a colourful, informal expression used to describe a torrential downpour, far stronger than simply saying that it is raining.
Origin & History
The exact origin is uncertain, but the phrase was popularised in 17th and 18th century England. One common explanation is that during violent storms, poorly-drained streets in old cities would flood and wash dead animals along the gutters — a grim sight that made it look as though cats and dogs had fallen from the sky. Jonathan Swift described exactly such a scene in his 1710 poem and again in his 1738 satire A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, where the phrase appears in its now-familiar form.
Other explanations draw on folklore and mythology, where cats were associated with rain and dogs (or wolves) with wind and storms. Whatever the true source, the earliest clearly recorded form is credited to Swift, and the expression has remained a vivid favourite in everyday English ever since.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Context |
|---|---|
| We cancelled the picnic because it was raining cats and dogs. | Explaining a cancelled plan |
| Take an umbrella — it's raining cats and dogs out there. | Everyday advice |
| By the time we reached the car, it was raining cats and dogs and we were soaked. | Describing a storm |
| The match was abandoned at half-time because it started raining cats and dogs. | Sports commentary |
| I could barely see the road; it was raining cats and dogs the whole drive home. | Difficult driving conditions |
| It had been raining cats and dogs all night, and the river had begun to rise. | Weather narrative |
How to Use It
This idiom is informal and works best in casual conversation, friendly messages, and storytelling. The fixed form is always raining cats and dogs — you should not change the animals or their order. It usually appears with the verb to be in a continuous tense, as in it's raining cats and dogs or it was raining cats and dogs. Avoid it in formal or academic writing, where a plain phrase such as heavy rain is more suitable.
Common Mistakes
Mistakes to Avoid
It was raining dogs and cats this morning.
It was raining cats and dogs this morning. — The order is fixed; always 'cats and dogs'.
There were cats and dogs raining outside the window.
It was raining cats and dogs outside the window. — Use the impersonal 'it' with the verb 'rain'; never take it literally.
It rained cat and dog all afternoon.
It rained cats and dogs all afternoon. — Both nouns are plural; do not use the singular.
Similar Idioms
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