Draining
ˈdreɪnɪŋ
Definitions
2 meaningsTo remove liquid from something or to cause something to lose liquid.
ˈdreɪnɪŋ
Removing liquid or something unwanted
They are draining the swamp to build a new housing development.
💡 Simply: It's like when you take the water out of a sink or a bathtub. It's about getting rid of liquid or emptying something.
👶 For kids: Taking the water out of something like a bathtub or a puddle.
More Examples
The athlete was sweating, draining water from his body.
The chef drained the pasta before adding the sauce.
The workers are draining the fuel tank of the old car.
How It's Used
"The plumber is draining the pipes to fix the leak."
"Farmers are draining the land to prepare for planting."
Causing someone to feel tired or exhausted; depleting resources or energy.
ˈdreɪnɪŋ
Causing exhaustion or depletion
The long hours and intense pressure of the job were emotionally draining.
💡 Simply: When something makes you feel really tired or uses up your energy or resources, you can say it's draining, like a long, hard day at work or an endless commute.
👶 For kids: Making you feel very, very tired, like after playing outside all day.
More Examples
The marathon was a physically draining challenge.
Her constant demands and complaints were draining my patience.
The constant financial worries were incredibly draining.
How It's Used
"Dealing with the illness has been a draining experience."
"The prolonged legal battle proved draining on the company's resources."
Idioms & expressions
drain the swamp
To remove corruption or inefficiency from an organization, especially in politics.
"The new government promised to drain the swamp of corruption that had plagued the city for years."
From the Old English drēahnian, meaning 'to draw off water' or 'to empty'.
Historically, 'draining' has been used in contexts related to agriculture (draining land), engineering (draining water), and more recently, in psychological and emotional senses.