draining

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɹeɪnɪŋ/

draining

1. present participle and gerund of drain

draining (comparative more draining, superlative most draining)

1. (not comparable) Designed and/or used for drainage.
   • 1834, John Johnstone, A Systematic Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Draining Land, page 136:

     The author of this experiment has constructed, and uses a draining wheel of cast iron, that weighs about 4 cwt .

   • 1847, Henry Stephens, A Manual of practical Draining, page 128:

     The mole-plough as a draining machine can never be of much utility in a country like Scotland, where alluvial deposits, though not deficient in extent, are characterized more by the abundance of stony matter than of clay in the subsoil; it is only in the few carses that such clays occur as would suit the mole plough.

   • 1917, R. W. Smith, “Making Pimento Cheese”, in The Agricultural Student, volume 24, page 89:

     We made a draining rack in a few odd minutes which saved considerable time over the common method of tying in sacks.

   • 1960, Edwin L. Kappel, “2941692: Brush Rest and Wiper for Paint Can”, in Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, page 769:

     A brush support and wiping device comprising a vertical-walled skirt adapted to surround the upper periphery of a container, a draining ledge connected to the upper area of said skirt near the edge thereof and extending inwardly and downwardly therefrom at an angle of from approximately two to approximately six degrees from the horizontal , . . .

2. (comparable) Causing a depletion of energy or resources; exhausting.

   Synonyms: tiresome, wearing; see also Thesaurus:fatiguing

   • 2010, Lori Wharton, Tranquility and Silence, page 46:

     I was very tired; working everyday and then staying at the hospital was very draining.

   • 2017, Karin Bodewits, You Must Be Very Intelligent: The PhD Delusion, page 153:

     He was in the luxurious position of not having to hunt for girls—a process he finds very draining.

   • 2024, Josh Smith, Great Chat:

     Not every space is going to energise you, but if you work on looking after yourself more, the tolerance levels for spaces which you found more draining will increase.

draining (countable and uncountable, plural drainings)

1. (uncountable) The practice of exploring drains, tunnels, or sewers.
2. (countable) The process by which something is drained or emptied.
3. (countable, usually in the plural) The liquid drained from something.

• draining board

• nadiring