draining
draining — adjective
1. requiring so much physical or mental effort that you feel extremely tired afterw
requiring so much physical or mental effort that you feel extremely tired afterward, with little energy left for other activities
The six-hour hike up the muddy mountain trail was physically draining, and Mei-Lin could barely walk afterward.
adjective describing task or experience that exhausts
Caring for three young children while working a full-time job can be emotionally draining for any parent.
collocation: emotionally draining
Jun found the twelve-hour nursing shift on the emergency ward incredibly draining on both body and mind.
Studying for the bar exam proved so draining that Ananya could barely speak by the end of the day.
- exhausting
slightly stronger; implies complete depletion of energy
- tiring
more general, less intense than draining
- demanding
focuses on high requirements rather than resulting tiredness
- refreshing
giving energy back instead of taking it away
- invigorating
making you feel full of energy
用法筆記
Commonly collocates with emotionally, physically, or mentally before the adjective to specify the type of tiredness.
常見錯誤
draining — verb
1. to cause a liquid to flow out of something gradually or completely, so that the
to cause a liquid to flow out of something gradually or completely, so that the thing becomes drier, emptier, or free of unwanted fluid
The chef drained the boiled potatoes in a metal colander before adding milk and butter.
drain + food + in colander — kitchen context
After the heavy rain, workers used large pumps to drain water from the flooded parking garage.
drain + water + from + location
Ravi drained the cooking oil through a fine strainer into a glass jar for later use.
The plumber explained that we must drain the water heater completely before replacing the rusty valve.
文法句型
drain + object (liquid or source) + from/out of + location
drain + container/structure
用法筆記
Frequently followed by a direct object and a prepositional phrase with from or out of. The object can be either the liquid itself or the container being emptied.
常見錯誤
2. to drink all the liquid from a container such as a glass, cup, or bottle, leavin
to drink all the liquid from a container such as a glass, cup, or bottle, leaving it completely empty
Thirsty after the ten-kilometer run, Yuki drained his water bottle in one long continuous gulp.
drain + container of drink — drinking context
The old fisherman smiled and drained the last of his tea from the small cracked ceramic cup.
Kwame drained his glass of fresh orange juice and immediately asked the waiter for a refill.
Elena drained the entire can of soda while waiting for the delayed train at the crowded station.
- sip
to drink slowly, little by little
文法句型
drain + container (of liquid)
用法筆記
This sense emphasizes speed and completeness — the action is usually done in one go, not sipped slowly.
3. to use up all of something valuable such as energy, money, or patience, so that
to use up all of something valuable such as energy, money, or patience, so that little or nothing remains
The prolonged legal battle drained most of the family's savings over three painful years.
drain + financial resource
Caring for a parent with dementia gradually drained every bit of patience Maria had left.
drain + patience — emotional resource
Building the new science laboratory completely drained the school's annual construction budget.
The five-hour job interview drained every last ounce of confidence Chidi had built up over the summer.
文法句型
drain + resource/person
drain away (intransitive)
用法筆記
The direct object is typically something abstract or valuable: energy, strength, resources, savings, patience, confidence. Can also be used intransitively with away: 'His strength drained away.'
常見錯誤
4. to move away as a liquid, flowing out of a space or container through a hole or
to move away as a liquid, flowing out of a space or container through a hole or opening, typically until gone
Melissa watched the warm bathwater slowly drain from the tub, leaving a ring of soap scum behind.
drain from + location — intransitive
After the storm stopped, the rainwater drained away through the gutters and into the street drains.
drain away — phrasal intransitive
Excess water from the rice fields drains into the irrigation canal that runs behind the village.
The puddles on the playground drained into the sandy soil within an hour of the rain stopping.
- pool
to gather and stay in one place rather than flow away
- accumulate
to build up instead of flowing away
文法句型
drain + from/out of + location
drain + away/off
用法筆記
Intransitive only — no direct object. The liquid itself is the subject. Often followed by away, off, or a prepositional phrase with from/into.
5. to become gradually less or weaker until little or nothing remains, used about f
to become gradually less or weaker until little or nothing remains, used about feelings, hope, energy, or interest rather than about liquids
As the weeks passed without any news, all hope of finding the missing climber drained from the rescue team.
drain from — abstract disappearance of hope
The colour slowly drained from Lucia's face when she opened the telegram with trembling hands.
Interest in the old computer game drained away quickly after the new virtual-reality headset was released.
Whatever enthusiasm Theo had for the project drained completely after his third proposal was rejected.
文法句型
drain + away
drain + from + person/thing
用法筆記
Used metaphorically for non-physical things (hope, colour, enthusiasm, confidence). Distinguish from sense 4, which describes actual liquid movement.
draining — noun
1. a pipe, channel, or tube that carries away dirty water, waste, or excess liquid
a pipe, channel, or tube that carries away dirty water, waste, or excess liquid from a building, road, or piece of land
A blocked drain in the kitchen sink caused dirty water to spread across the entire tiled floor.
blocked drain — common problem phrase
Omar climbed onto the roof to clear fallen leaves from the gutter drain before the autumn rains arrived.
City workers are inspecting all the storm drains to make sure they can handle this year's typhoon season.
The bathroom drain was completely clogged with hair and soap, so water just sat in the shower tray.
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often paired with blocked, clogged, or cleared to describe common household or municipal problems.
常見錯誤
2. something or someone that continuously uses up a large amount of money, energy,
something or someone that continuously uses up a large amount of money, energy, time, or other valuable resources, leaving less available for other purposes
The old car had become a serious drain on Amir's monthly salary because it needed constant expensive repairs.
a drain on + financial resource
Hospital bills can be a huge drain on a young family's savings, especially after an unexpected illness.
Priya viewed the weekly tutoring sessions as a drain on her free time, even though they helped her grades.
Keeping the large empty house heated and maintained was a constant drain on the widow's limited pension.
文法句型
a drain + on + resource/possession
用法筆記
Almost always followed by on + noun phrase indicating the resource being depleted. Common in economic and personal finance contexts.
常見錯誤
3. the process or action of removing liquid from something by letting it flow out,
the process or action of removing liquid from something by letting it flow out, or the condition of having liquid flow away
Draining the soil well is essential for growing healthy tomato plants that will not rot at the roots.
draining + noun (soil) — agricultural context, gerund as subject
The draining of the swamp created new farmland but completely destroyed the local bird habitat.
the draining of + noun — gerund with of-phrase
Properly draining the fish tank involves cleaning the filter and changing twenty percent of the water weekly.
After the flood, draining the water from the basement took the fire department over six hours to complete.
用法筆記
Uncountable noun. Often used in technical or practical contexts like agriculture, construction, and medicine. The related noun form 'drainage' is more common for this sense.