Library / English Dictionary

SHOWER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Washing yourself by standing upright under water sprayed from a nozzle

Example:

he took a shower after the game

Synonyms:

shower; shower bath

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("shower" is a kind of...):

bathing; washup (the act of washing yourself (or another person))

Derivation:

shower (take a shower; wash one's body in the shower)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A plumbing fixture that sprays water over you

Example:

they installed a shower in the bathroom

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("shower" is a kind of...):

plumbing fixture (a fixture for the distribution and use of water in a building)

Meronyms (parts of "shower"):

showerhead (a perforated nozzle that showers water on a bather)

Holonyms ("shower" is a part of...):

shower bath; shower stall (booth for washing yourself, usually in a bathroom)

Derivation:

shower (take a shower; wash one's body in the shower)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sudden downpour (as of tears or sparks etc) likened to a rain shower

Example:

a sudden cascade of sparks

Synonyms:

cascade; shower

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("shower" is a kind of...):

descent (a movement downward)

Derivation:

shower (rain abundantly)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A party of friends assembled to present gifts (usually of a specified kind) to a person

Example:

her friends organized a baby shower for her when she was expecting

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("shower" is a kind of...):

party (a group of people gathered together for pleasure)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Someone who organizes an exhibit for others to see

Synonyms:

exhibitioner; exhibitor; shower

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("shower" is a kind of...):

impresario; promoter; showman (a sponsor who books and stages public entertainments)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A brief period of precipitation

Example:

the game was interrupted by a brief shower

Synonyms:

rain shower; shower

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("shower" is a kind of...):

rain; rainfall (water falling in drops from vapor condensed in the atmosphere)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "shower"):

scattering; sprinkle; sprinkling (a light shower that falls in some locations and not others nearby)

Derivation:

shower (rain abundantly)

showery ((of weather) wet by periods of rain)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take a shower; wash one's body in the shower

Example:

You should shower after vigorous exercise

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "shower" is one way to...):

bathe (cleanse the entire body)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence examples:

They shower

They shower themselves

Derivation:

shower (washing yourself by standing upright under water sprayed from a nozzle)

shower (a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Provide abundantly with

Example:

He showered her with presents

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "shower" is one way to...):

cater; ply; provide; supply (give what is desired or needed, especially support, food or sustenance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

They shower their grandchild with money

Sense 3

Meaning:

Spray or sprinkle with

Example:

The guests showered rice on the couple

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "shower" is one way to...):

spray (scatter in a mass or jet of droplets)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something on somebody
Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence examples:

They shower coins on the image

They shower the image with coins

Sense 4

Meaning:

Expend profusely; also used with abstract nouns

Example:

He was showered with praise

Synonyms:

lavish; shower

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "shower" is one way to...):

consume; squander; ware; waste (spend extravagantly)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something on somebody

Sentence example:

They shower their grandchild with money

Sense 5

Meaning:

Rain abundantly

Example:

Meteors showered down over half of Australia

Synonyms:

shower; shower down

Classified under:

Verbs of raining, snowing, thawing, thundering

Hypernyms (to "shower" is one way to...):

rain; rain down (precipitate as rain)

Sentence frame:

It is ----ing

Sentence example:

It was showering all day long

Derivation:

shower (a sudden downpour (as of tears or sparks etc) likened to a rain shower)

shower (a brief period of precipitation)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Disability Assessment for Dementia (DAD) Prepare the water, towels, and soap for washing, taking a bath or a shower?

(DAD - Prepare the Water, Towels, and Soap for Washing, Taking a Bath or Shower, NCI Thesaurus)

Loud rang the swift charger's hoofs over rock and reef, while the fire flew from the stroke of iron, and the loose stones showered up behind him.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A shower of rain drove down upon us, each drop stinging like a hailstone.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The pleasant showers and genial warmth of spring greatly altered the aspect of the earth.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Basic ADLs include eating, dressing, getting into or out of a bed or chair, taking a bath or shower, and using the toilet.

(ADL, NCI Dictionary)

The ptarmigan struggled against him, showering blows upon him with her free wing.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

It is thought that the fragments may have been part of a meteor shower, as at least 10 of the 70 samples collected belong to the same type of meteorite.

(Huge Haul of Extraterrestrial Material Recovered from Iranian Desert, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The insides of our homes can contain small molecules like chloroform or benzene a component of gasoline through simple actions like showering, boiling water, or storing cars on lawnmowers in attached garages.

(Common Houseplant with Genetic Modification Can Remove Polluted Air, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) History; when you get into the tub or shower, are you able to tell the hot water from the cold water?

(MNSI - Able to Tell Hot from Cold Water, NCI Thesaurus)

The mist may come from hot tubs, showers, or air-conditioning units for large buildings.

(Legionnaires' Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)