pour

[pawr, pohr]

verb (used with object)

1. to send (a liquid, fluid, or anything in loose particles) flowing or falling, as from one container to another, or into, over, or on something.

   to pour a glass of milk; to pour water on a plant.

2. to emit or propel, especially continuously or rapidly.

   The hunter poured bullets into the moving object.

3. to produce or utter in or as in a stream or flood (often followed byout ).

   to pour out one's troubles to a friend.

verb (used without object)

1. to issue, move, or proceed in great quantity or number.

   Crowds poured from the stadium after the game.

2. to flow forth or along; stream.

   Floodwaters poured over the embankments.

3. to rain heavily (often used impersonally with it as subject).

   It was pouring, but fortunately we had umbrellas.

noun

1. the act of pouring.

2. an abundant or continuous flow or stream.

   a pour of insults.

3. a heavy fall of rain.

4. a wine or other beverage.

   a list of the best pours.

pour

/ pɔː /

verb

1. to flow or cause to flow in a stream

2. (tr) to issue, emit, etc, in a profuse way

3. Also: pour with rain. to rain heavily

   it's pouring down outside

4. (intr) to move together in large numbers; swarm

5. (intr) to serve tea, coffee, etc

   shall I pour?

6. events, esp unfortunate ones, come together or occur in rapid succession

7. informal,  to be unenthusiastic about or discourage

8. to try to calm a quarrel, etc

noun

1. a pouring, downpour, etc

Usage

The verbs pour and pore are sometimes confused: she poured cream over her strudel; she pored (not poured ) over the manuscript

Other Word Forms

• pourer noun
• pourable adjective
• pourability noun
• pouringly adverb
• interpour verb (used with object)
• repour verb (used with object)
• unpourable adjective
• unpoured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of pour¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English pouren; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of pour¹

C13: of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

• it never rains but it pours

Example Sentences

HHS has said it will instead pour these funds into research on a traditional approach to designing vaccines that was first used more than 200 years ago.

From Salon

Every journalist who pours sweat and stress into their copy knows their efforts are disposable.

From Salon

In March 2025, he said his Milan show aimed to pour oil on the troubled waters of global politics.

From BBC

“The better care I take of myself, the less stressful the world feels,” Gilbert says, “and whatever energy is left over, I pour into my work, my friends and my community.”

From Los Angeles Times

He will seek and then pour over the paper trail, talk to Angela Rayner and attempt to establish a definitive timeline of what she did and when and who she spoke to and why.

From BBC

Related Words

• cascade 
• discharge 
• drain 
• flood 
• flow 
• gush 
• rush 
• spew 
• spill 
• splash 
• stream 
• swarm