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teem down

B2 informal intransitive

In simple words

To rain really, really hard — like buckets of water falling from the sky.

Meanings

1 B2 idiomatic informal

uncommon

To rain very heavily and continuously.

"We had to cancel the match because it was absolutely teeming down."

Usage notes

Primarily British English. Almost always used in continuous tenses: 'it's teeming down.' The subject is almost always impersonal 'it'. Learners should note this is different from 'teem with', which means to be full of something.

Commonly used with

outside rain weather

Forms

Base

teem down

I/you/we/they

3rd person

teems down

he/she/it

Past simple

teemed down

yesterday

Past participle

teemed down

have + pp

-ing form

teeming down

continuous

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Synonyms

pour down bucket down pelt down piss down lash down

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