shower

I. noun Etymology: Middle English shour, from Old English scūr; akin to Old High German scūr shower, storm, Latin caurus northwest wind Date: before 12th century 1. a. a fall of rain of short duration b. a similar fall of sleet, hail, or snow 2. something resembling a rain shower <

a shower of statistics

>; especially a fall of meteors which belong to a single group and whose trails appear to originate at the same point in space 3. a party given by friends who bring gifts often of a particular kind <

a bridal shower

> 4. a bath in which water is showered on the body; also the apparatus that provides a shower • showerless adjective • showery adjective II. verb Date: 15th century intransitive verb 1. to rain or fall in or as if in a shower <

letters showered on him in praise and protest

> 2. to bathe in a shower transitive verb 1. a. to wet (as with water) in a spray, fine stream, or drops b. (1) to cause to fall in a shower <

factory chimneys showered soot on the district

> (2) to cause a shower to fall on <

showered the newlyweds with rice

> 2. to give in abundance <

showered her with honors

> • showerer noun III. noun Date: 14th century one that shows ; exhibitor