shower

/'ʃouə/

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The word "shower" can be used as both a noun and a verb, and it has several meanings. Let's break it down in a way that's easy to understand.

As a Noun

1. Social Event: A "shower" is a party where friends give gifts to someone for a special occasion. For example, "Her friends organized a baby shower for her when she was expecting a baby." This means they had a party to celebrate her upcoming baby and gave her gifts for the baby.

2. Weather: A "shower" can also refer to a brief period of rain. For example, "The game was interrupted by a brief shower." This means it started to rain for a short time.

3. Bathroom Fixture: A "shower" is a place in the bathroom where you wash yourself. It sprays water over you. For example, "He took a shower after the game," meaning he washed himself with water after playing.

4. Sudden Downpour: It can describe a sudden burst of something, like sparks or petals. For example, "There was a little shower of rose petals," meaning rose petals fell down suddenly.

As a Verb

1. To Give Gifts: When you "shower" someone with gifts, it means to give them many gifts. For example, "They showered her with presents," meaning they gave her a lot of gifts.

2. To Rain Abundantly: It can also mean to rain heavily. For example, "Meteors showered down over half of Australia," meaning a lot of meteors were falling.

3. To Wash: When you "take a shower," it means to wash your body under running water. For example, "You should shower after vigorous exercise," which means to wash yourself after exercising hard.

Advanced Usage

• You can use "shower" in more complex sentences. For example, "After being showered with praise for his performance, he felt very happy." Here, it means receiving a lot of compliments.

Word Variants

• Showerhead: This is the part of the shower that sprays water.
• Showers: The plural form can refer to multiple instances of rain or multiple parties.

Different Meanings

• "Shower" can refer to both physical events (like rain) and social events (like gift-giving parties).

Synonyms

• For the social event: party, gathering.
• For rain: downpour, sprinkle.
• For washing: bathe, rinse.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• Shower someone with something: To give someone a lot of something (like gifts or praise). Example: "They showered the couple with love."
• Take a shower: To wash oneself under running water.

Academic

Noun

1. a party of friends assembled to present gifts (usually of a specified kind) to a person
   • her friends organized a baby shower for her when she was expecting
2. someone who organizes an exhibit for others to see
3. a sudden downpour (as of tears or sparks etc) likened to a rain shower
   • a little shower of rose petals
   • a sudden cascade of sparks
4. a brief period of precipitation
   • the game was interrupted by a brief shower
5. washing yourself by standing upright under water sprayed from a nozzle
   • he took a shower after the game
6. a plumbing fixture that sprays water over you
   • they installed a shower in the bathroom

Verb

1. provide abundantly with
   • He showered her with presents
2. rain abundantly
   • Meteors showered down over half of Australia
3. take a shower; wash one's body in the shower
   • You should shower after vigorous exercise
4. spray or sprinkle with
   • The guests showered rice on the couple
5. expend profusely; also used with abstract nouns
   • He was showered with praise

Synonyms

• exhibitor
• exhibitioner
• cascade
• rain shower
• shower bath
• shower down
• lavish