Definition

1. Noun:

   • Very light rain; stronger than mist but less than a shower: A type of precipitation consisting of numerous tiny, fine water droplets that fall slowly and appear to float in the air.

2. Verb:

   • To rain lightly: To fall as very fine, light rain.
   • To moisten or pour a liquid in a fine stream of small drops: To scatter or sprinkle a liquid, such as oil or sauce, lightly over something.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The morning started with a light drizzle that coated the streets.
  • We walked home in the drizzle without needing an umbrella.

• Verb (to rain):

  • It began to drizzle just as we left the house.
  • If it only drizzles, the picnic can still go ahead.

• Verb (to pour/sprinkle):

  • Drizzle the olive oil over the salad before serving.
  • The recipe says to drizzle the cake with lemon glaze.

Advanced Usage

• "Drizzle down": To fall as light rain, often implying a continuous, gentle descent.

  • Rain continued to drizzle down all afternoon, keeping everything damp.

• As a modifier in compound nouns (listed here as related forms): Used to describe things associated with or suitable for drizzle, e.g., drizzle conditions, a drizzle day.

Variants and Related Words

• Drizzly (adjective): Characterized by or resembling drizzle; damp and lightly rainy.
  • We spent a drizzly afternoon indoors.

Synonyms

• Noun: Sprinkle, mizzle (chiefly British), light rain.
• Verb (to rain): Sprinkle, spit (informal), mizzle.
• Verb (to pour): Trickle, sprinkle, drip.

Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions

• Drizzle with: To cover or moisten something by pouring a liquid over it in fine drops.
  • Drizzle the pancakes with maple syrup.

Related Idioms

• "Right as rain": This idiom, meaning perfectly fine or healthy, often contrasts with unpleasant weather like drizzle, but is not directly formed from "drizzle."
• "It's drizzling": A common, straightforward idiom to state the weather condition.
  • Don't forget your jacket; it's drizzling outside.

Noun

1. very light rain; stronger than mist but less than a shower

Verb

1. moisten with fine drops
   • drizzle the meat with melted butter
2. rain lightly
   • When it drizzles in summer, hiking can be pleasant