This idiom is based on a proverb that was seen at early as 1726 in two published works: A book by John Arbuthnot, who was Queen Anne’s doctor, and a paper by Jonathan Swift. WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS - "If something happens at all, it is likely to show up in excess, to be too much of a good thing (as a heavy rain can be). 1Ammer, Christine. It is found in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, by Jonathan Swift: “I know Sir John will go, though he was sure it would rain cats and dogs.”. Similar expressions are “It is never cold but it freezes” and “it is never warm but hot.”. The original pitch was "Even in rainy weather, it flows freely," but they found that too long and clunky. Both were titled “It Cannot Rain But It Pours.” 3 Apperson, George Latimer, et al. Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms. Here are some examples of this phrase. When it rains, it pours definition is - —used to say that when something bad happens other bad things usually happen at the same time. It Never Rains, But It Pours: When things go wrong or become difficult, they tend to do so one after the other so that negative things happen to excess; when one thing goes wrong, many things go wrong. American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms. Synonyms & Related Phrases: when it rains it pours, raining buckets, it’s pouring rain. The origin is unknown but the phrase has been in use since the early 18th century; for example, this item from a work by John Arbuthnot, 1726: It cannot rain but it pours; or London strow'd with rarities. Want to see more videos from Idioms.Online? This page contains one or more affiliate links. What's the origin of the phrase 'It never rains but it pours'? And, just like Goldilocks and the three bears, they eventually found one that was just right: "When it rains, it pours." Luke Combs, Ray Fulcher and Jordan Walker took a fun-loving approach to writing "When It Rains It Pours": "We were talking about how we've all been in a situation where you don't realize you want to get out [of a relationship] until you do, and we played on that," Combs explained to reporters. There are actually hundreds of idioms on here for you to explore, so what are you waiting for? “My car broke down so I took my wife’s car to work and ended up with a flat tire. Example: Elliot was excited to go play soccer with his friends. The Wordsworth Dictionary of Proverbs. Then, when I decided to go out for lunch, I discovered I had left my wallet at home so I had no money. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Oxford: Oxford U, 2010. jQuery("#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2").tooltip({ tip: "#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2", tipClass: "footnote_tooltip", effect: "fade", fadeOutSpeed: 100, predelay: 400, position: "top center", relative: true, offset: [10, 15] });  It’ll take you to a list of common sayings, then all you have to do is click one to learn more details about it. Answer: “When it rains, it pours.” Interesting fact The term 'when it rains, it pours' comes from a common weather phenomenon in which, after there has been no rain in a long time, a lot of rain suddenly falls at once and the weather remains rainy for a while. How to use when it rains, it pours in a sentence. When it rains, it pours.”. For example, a modified form of the phrase makes an appearance in a comedy called The City Wit, written in 1653 by Richard Brome: The modern wording of the phrase comes as early as the year 1738. It never rains but it pours.”, “I was late for work today and I forgot my lunch. “When it rains, it pours” is a more modern version of the idiom. It never rains but it pours.”, “The whole house is down with the flu. Well, there are theories floating around that try to figure out how this saying originated, but ultimately, its origin unknown and remains a question. Raining cats and dogs is a common phrase that refers to heavy rainfall. “This is no weather to be playing ball in,” Elliot said while shaking his head in disappointment. something good or bad occurring multiple times within a short span of time Yes, since the 17th century, this term has been used in some form or another to describe rainy weather. This idiom is usually used to express frustration when several negative things happen at the same time. The use of “but” here to introduce an inevitable occurrence is quite archaic. Subscribe to our YouTube channel! However, his excitement quickly came to an end when he looked out the window and noticed it was raining cats and dogs outside. The origin of the phrase it’s raining cats and dogs is at least 350 years old. Both were titled “It Cannot Rain But It Pours.” 3Apperson, George Latimer, et al.