different between drain vs divert

English

Alternative forms

• drein (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English dreinen, from Old English dr?ahnian (“to drain, strain, filter”), from Proto-Germanic *drauhn?n? (“to strain, sieve”), from Proto-Germanic *draugiz (“dry, parched”). Akin to Old English dr?gian (“to dry up”), Old English dr?gaþ (“dryness, drought”), Old English dr??e (“dry”). More at dry.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d?e?n/, IPA^(key): /d??e?n/
• Rhymes: -e?n

Noun

drain (plural drains)

1. (chiefly US, Canada) A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)
2. (chiefly Britain) An access point or conduit for rainwater that drains directly downstream in a (drainage) basin without going through sewers or water treatment in order to prevent or belay floods.
3. Something consuming resources and providing nothing in return.

4. (vulgar) An act of urination.
5. (electronics) One terminal of a field effect transistor (FET).
6. (pinball) An outhole.
7. (Britain, slang, dated) A drink.
   • 1841, Charles Dickens, Three Detective Anecdotes

     When the play was over, we came out together, and I said, "We've been very companionable and agreeable, and perhaps you wouldn't object to a drain?"

   • 1966, Henry Mayhew, ?Peter Quennell, London's Underworld (page 48)

     What did she want with money, except now and then for a drain of white satin.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

drain (third-person singular simple present drains, present participle draining, simple past and past participle drained)

1. (intransitive) To lose liquid.

   The clogged sink drained slowly.

   • Knock knock.
     Who's there?
     Dwayne.
     Dwayne who?
     Drain the bathtub, I'm drowning.
2. (intransitive) To flow gradually.

   The water of low ground drains off.

3. (transitive, ergative) To cause liquid to flow out of.

   Please drain the sink. It's full of dirty water.

4. (transitive, ergative) To convert a perennially wet place into a dry one.

   They had to drain the swampy land before the parking lot could be built.

5. (transitive) To deplete of energy or resources.

   The stress of this job is really draining me.

6. (transitive) To draw off by degrees; to cause to flow gradually out or off; hence, to exhaust.
   • But it was not alone that he drained their treasure and hampered their industry.

7. (transitive, obsolete) To filter.
8. (intransitive, pinball) To fall off the bottom of the playfield.

Derived terms

• drainable
• drainage
• drain away
• draining (adjective)
• drain out
• drain the lizard (vulgar)
• drain the main vain

Descendants

• ? French: drainer (see there for further descendants)

Translations

Anagrams

• Darin, Drina, Indra, Nadir, Nardi, Ndari, Radin, dinar, nadir, ranid

Cimbrian

Numeral

drain

1. dative of drai

English

Etymology

From Middle English diverten, Old French divertir (“to turn or go different ways, part, separate, divert”), from Latin di- (“apart”) + vertere (“to turn”); see verse.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /da??v??t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /da??v?t/, /d??v?t/
• Rhymes: -??(r)t

Verb

divert (third-person singular simple present diverts, present participle diverting, simple past and past participle diverted)

1. (transitive) To turn aside from a course.
2. (transitive) To distract.
3. (transitive) To entertain or amuse (by diverting the attention)
   • 1871, Charles John Smith, Synonyms Discriminated

     We are amused by a tale, diverted by a comedy.

4. (obsolete, intransitive) To turn aside; to digress.

   • I diverted to see one of the prince's palaces.

Synonyms

• (to lead away from a course): offlead

Related terms

• diversion
• diversity
• diverse

Translations

Further reading

• divert in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• divert in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• verdit