1 B2 informal
To throw or drop something downward in a casual or careless way
"She chucked her bag down on the sofa and collapsed next to it."
separable
chuck down
B2 informal separable transitive/intransitive
To throw something downward carelessly, or (of weather) to rain very heavily
In plain English
To throw something down quickly without caring much, or used to describe very heavy rain
What does "chuck down" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To rain very heavily (British English, typically 'it's chucking down')
"We had to cancel the picnic — it was absolutely chucking down all afternoon."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To chuck (throw) something in a downward direction
Actually means
To throw something down quickly without caring much, or used to describe very heavy rain
Usage tip
British English. The weather sense is very common in British English ('it's chucking down') and is essentially synonymous with 'chuck it down'. The physical sense (throwing down) is less idiomatic — 'put down' or 'throw down' are more common.
Words that pair with "chuck down"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
rain bag keys tools it (weather) heavy rain
How to conjugate "chuck down"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
chuck down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
chucks down
he/she/it
Past simple
chucked down
yesterday
Past participle
chucked down
have + pp
-ing form
chucking down
continuous
Hear "chuck down" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "chuck down" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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