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The English idiom “when it rains it pours” is a phrase commonly heard in everyday conversation today. In this article, you will find information on the true meaning of this phrase and discover where the phrase originated from. You will also see examples of how to use this phrase in conversations or statements, as well as other ways to express this idea in literal terms.
When It Rains It Pours Meaning, Origin and Usage
Key Takeaways
- “When it rains, it pours” means that when one event happens, especially something negative, it is often followed by a series of similar events.
What Does “When It Rains It Pours” Mean?
The saying “when it rains it pours” suggests that misfortunes often come in groups rather than one at a time. It highlights how negative events tend to occur in rapid succession. Instead of dealing with a single setback, you may find yourself facing one problem after another. The phrase is commonly used in situations where nothing seems to be going right.
Origin of this Term
The phrase “when it rains it pours” is typically used today as a negative comment or observation. However, the phrase first appeared in 1911 when it became the slogan of the Morton Salt Company due to an advancement in the way their salt was created and sold to the general public. Before this innovation, rainy weather would cause a house to build up humidity which would cause the salt to clump together.
The innovation in development prevented the salt from clumping despite weather conditions and the company used this slogan to indicate that even when there was inclement weather the salt would not clump together and would still pour.
When to Use “When It Rains It Pours”
Example Situations:
- If you’ve been waiting for job offers and suddenly receive multiple at the same time.
- When your car breaks down the same week you have unexpected medical bills.
- If a company experiences rapid growth, followed by increased demand and resource challenges.
Tips for Using This Phrase:
- It works well in informal conversations when you’re talking about personal experiences.
- Use it to emphasize unexpected clusters of events, both good and bad.
Natural disasters or other unpredictable events in life often bring this phrase to mind, as they highlight how situations can quickly escalate.
Related Terms to “When It Rains It Pours”
Similar Phrases
- Domino Effect: This phrase describes how one event can cause a chain of similar events.
- Murphy’s Law: This idea means that if something can go wrong, it likely will.
- Snowball Effect: It highlights how something small can grow and impact more things as it continues.
Idioms with Opposite Meanings
- Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining: This suggests that there is always something good in a bad situation.
- The Calm Before the Storm: This indicates a peaceful period right before things become chaotic.
Other Ways to Say “When It Rains It Pours”
The phrase “when it rains it pours” can be stated in more literal terms. Some other things you could say to convey the same meaning include: the bad news is usually accompanied by even more bad news, misery loves company or troubles always seem to come in three.
“When It Rains It Pours” synonyms:
- Evil chance seldom comes alone
- Misery loves company
- Troubles never come singly
- Misfortunes never come singly
- Bad luck comes in threes
- Bad luck never comes alone
- Trouble comes in threes
- Bad things come in groups
- Bad situations come in groups
“When It Rains It Pours” Examples
Examples of Statements
A statement in the local paper from a citizen experiencing some hard times.
- “Well, first we had the car accident and then this fire burnt half of our house down. As they say, when it rains it pours.”
A statement made by a team member on a football team.
- “We just can’t seem to win a game this year. We started bad and have just gotten more awful. When it rains it pours I guess.”
Examples in Conversations
A conversation between two friends.
- Friend 1: Hey, how are things going.
- Friend 2: Not so good. A week ago I got into an accident that totaled my car and I had to get a new one. Then this past Monday, I had to buy a new refrigerator because mine stopped working. The day after they installed my refrigerator, I had to go and buy a new washer because it stopped working too!
- Friend 1: Well, as they say, when it rains it pours.
A conversation between co-workers.
- Co-worker 1: How are things coming along with the project?
- Co-worker 2: Well, they were going fine until the boss put more plans on my desk. Now we are way behind and trying to play catch up and I am swamped.
- Co-worker 1: Believe me, I know the feeling. He put more work on my desk yesterday too. When it rains it pours.
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