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Rain vs Onfall - What's the difference?

rain | onfall |

In transitive terms the difference between rain and onfall

is that rain is to issue (something) in large quantities while onfall is to assault.

As nouns the difference between rain and onfall

is that rain is condensed water falling from a cloud while onfall is a falling on or upon; an attack, onset, or assault.

As verbs the difference between rain and onfall

is that rain is to have rain fall from the sky while onfall is to fall on or upon.

rain

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • Condensed water falling from a cloud.
    • We've been having a lot of rain lately .
    The rains came late that year.
  • (figuratively) Any matter moving or falling, usually through air, and especially if liquid or otherwise figuratively identifiable with raindrops.
  • (figuratively) An instance of particles or larger pieces of matter moving or falling through air.
    • A rain of mortar fire fell on our trenches.

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (obsolete)

    Usage notes

    * shower, downpour, drop are some of the words used to count rain.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    en verb)
  • (impersonal) To have rain fall from the sky.
    • It will rain today.
  • To fall as or like rain.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The rain it raineth every day.
    Tears rained from her eyes.
  • To fall in large quantities.
    • Bombs rained from the sky.
  • To issue (something) in large quantities.
    • The boxer rained punches on his opponent's head.

    Derived terms

    * Also see * it never rains but it pours * rain cats and dogs, rain dogs and cats * rain down * rain off

    See also

    * drizzle * hail * mizzle * precipitation * serein * shower * sleet * snow * storm *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----

    onfall

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A falling on or upon; an attack, onset, or assault.
  • *1906 , William Henry Fitchett, Wesley and his century: a study in spiritual forces'':
    • The onfall of the bishops had helped to wreck this possibility, [...]
  • *2004 , James Legge, The Shih King :
    • Along with your 'brethren, Get ready your scaling ladders, And your engines of onfall and assault, To attack the walls of Khung.
  • *2008 , Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company :
    • Six great land battles I count, with four upon the sea, and seven-and-fifty onfalls , skirmishes and bushments.
  • A fall of rain or snow.
  • The fall of the evening.

    • Verb

  • To fall on or upon.
  • *1889 , Harry Marshall Ward, Diseases of plants :
    • [...] have been formed and ripened in large numbers, especially on the shaded ower sides of the leaves, the mycelium is practically exhausted, and as these processes are completed towards the end of the summer, the leaf so onfalls .
  • *1992 , Edgar C. Polomé, Werner Winter, Reconstructing languages and cultures :
    • 'the temple caught fire from the onfallen lightning' [...]
  • *2008 , V. V. Adushkin, Ivan Nemchinov, Catastrophic events caused by cosmic objects :
    • Quasivertical and quasihorizontal faults filled with crushed rocks can substantially change the amplitude of a seismic wave behind the fault in comparison with the amplitude of an onfalling wave [...]
  • To assault.