Cool MateCome down cats and dogs vs Downpour
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Come down cats and dogs
InformalBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Downpour
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: DownpourMost common: Downpour
| Come down cats and dogs | Downpour | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //kʌm daʊn kæts ənd dɔːɡz//🇺🇸 //kʌm daʊn kæts ənd dɔɡz// | 🇬🇧 //ˈdaʊn.pɔː//🇺🇸 //ˈdaʊn.pɔr// |
| Meaning | To rain heavily. | A lot of rain that falls quickly. |
| Example | It's really starting to come down cats and dogs outside! | The forecast predicts a downpour this afternoon. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| Collocations | come down cats and dogs, rain cats and dogs, pour cats and dogs | heavy downpour, unexpected downpour, torrential downpour, summer downpour |
| Antonyms | clear up, dry out, stop raining | - |
| Common mistakes | Confusing it with 'cats and dogs' as in animals., Using it in a formal context., Incorrectly saying 'come down' instead of just 'cats and dogs' for rain. | Confusing downpour with drizzle, Using downpour in a non-weather context, Mispronouncing the word |
| Usage notes | Used in casual conversation to describe very heavy rain. Not typically used in formal writing. | Used in everyday conversations about weather. Not typically used in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Come down cats and dogs vs Downpour
What's the difference between Come down cats and dogs and Downpour?
Come down cats and dogs: To rain heavily. Downpour: A lot of rain that falls quickly.
Which is more formal: Come down cats and dogs and Downpour?
Downpour is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Come down cats and dogs and Downpour?
Downpour is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Come down cats and dogs: It's really starting to come down cats and dogs outside! Downpour: The forecast predicts a downpour this afternoon.
Can I use Come down cats and dogs and Downpour interchangeably?
Not always. Come down cats and dogs and Downpour are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.