bucket down
B1 informal intransitive
In simple words
To rain really, really hard — like someone is pouring buckets of water from the sky.
Literal meaning: For water to fall in bucket-sized quantities.
Meanings
1 B1
idiomatic
informal
To rain extremely heavily.
"I can't believe we left our umbrellas at home — it's absolutely bucketing down out there."
Usage notes
Typically used with 'it' as the subject (it's bucketing down). Primarily British and Australian English. Very vivid and colloquial. Signals strong, sustained heavy rainfall.
Commonly used with
rain outside storm weather umbrella
Forms
Base
bucket down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
buckets down
he/she/it
Past simple
bucketed down
yesterday
Past participle
bucketed down
have + pp
-ing form
bucketing down
continuous
Understand "bucket down" better
Try:
Real video examples
Video examples are being collected. Check back soon.
Synonyms
Want to master this phrasal verb?
Practice "bucket down" on Looplines