rainbow
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rain·bow
(rān′bō′)n.
1.
a. An arc of spectral colors, usually identified as red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, that appears in the sky opposite the sun as a result of the refractive dispersion of sunlight in drops of rain or mist.
b. A similar arc or band, as one produced by a prism or by iridescence.
c. A graded display of colors.
2. An illusory hope: chasing the rainbow of overnight success.
3. A diverse assortment or collection.
[Middle English, from Old English rēnboga : rēn, rain + boga, bow; see bow3.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
rainbow
(ˈreɪnˌbəʊ)n
1. (Physical Geography) a bow-shaped display in the sky of the colours of the spectrum, caused by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays through rain or mist
2.
a. any similar display of bright colours
b. (as modifier): a rainbow pattern.
3. an illusory hope: to chase rainbows.
4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (modifier) of or relating to a political grouping together by several minorities, esp of different races: the rainbow coalition.
Rainbow
(ˈreɪnˌbəʊ)n
a member of the Rainbow Guides, the youngest group of girls (aged 5-7 years) in The Guide Association
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
rain•bow
(ˈreɪnˌboʊ)n.
1. a bow or arc of prismatic colors in the heavens opposite the sun; caused by the refraction and reflection of the sun's rays in drops of rain.
2. a similar bow of colors, esp. one in the spray of a waterfall or fountain.
3. any brightly multicolored arrangement or display.
4. a wide variety or range; gamut.
5. a visionary goal.
adj. 6. of many colors; multicolored.
7. made up of diverse races, groups, etc.: a rainbow coalition.
[before 1000]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
rain·bow
(rān′bō′) An arc-shaped spectrum of color seen in the sky opposite the sun, especially after rain, caused by the refraction and reflection of sunlight by droplets of water suspended in the air.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
rainbow
- Comes from Old Norse regnbogi (becoming Old English renboga, ren, "rain," and boga, "bend, bow") and is a bow or arch of the colors of the prism that is formed in the sky opposite to the sun by the reflection, double refraction, and dispersion of the sun's rays in falling drops of rain.See also related terms for reflection.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
Rainbow
a rainbow as a symbol of a past storm.Examples: rainbow of hope, 1876; of the storms of life, 1813.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  rainbow - an arc of colored light in the sky caused by refraction of the sun's rays by rainsky - the atmosphere and outer space as viewed from the earth |
| 2. | rainbow - an illusory hope; "chasing rainbows" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
rainbow
nounRelated words
adjective iridal
adjective iridal
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
rainbow
nounA fantastic, impracticable plan or desire:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
дъга
duha
regnbue
ĉielarko
رنگین کمان
sateenkaarispektrikirjavakirjomonivärinen
duga
szivárvány
bianglalapelangi
regnbogifriðarbogi
虹
무지개
arcus
vaivorykštė
curcubeu
dúha
mavrica
regnbåge
รุ้งกินน้ำ
cầu vồng
rainbow
[ˈreɪnbəʊ]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
rainbow
n → Regenbogen m; a dress (in) all the colours of the rainbow → ein Kleid in allen Regenbogenfarben; a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow → ein Wunschtraum m
rainbow
:rainbow coalition
n → Regenbogenkoalition f
rainbow family
n → Regenbogenfamilie f
rainbow flag
n → Regenbogenflagge f → or -fahne f
rainbow trout
n → Regenbogenforelle f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
rain
(rein) noun1. water falling from the clouds in liquid drops. We've had a lot of rain today; walking in the rain; We had flooding because of last week's heavy rains.
2. a great number of things falling like rain. a rain of arrows.
verb1. (only with it as subject) to cause rain to fall. I think it will rain today.
2. to (cause to) fall like rain. Arrows rained down on the soldiers.
ˈrainy adjective having (many) showers of rain. a rainy day; the rainy season; rainy weather.
ˈraininess nounˈrainbow noun
the coloured arch sometimes seen in the sky opposite the sun when rain is falling.
ˈrain check: take a rain check (American) (to ask) to do something at a later time. Thanks for inviting me to dinner, but can I take a rain check on it?
ˈraincoat noun a waterproof coat worn to keep out the rain.
ˈraindrop noun a single drop of rain.
ˈrainfall noun the amount of rain that falls in a certain place in a certain time. We haven't had much rainfall this year; the annual rainfall.
ˈrain forest noun a thick tropical forest in a region where it rains a lot.
ˈrain-gauge noun an instrument for measuring rainfall.
keep/save etc for a rainy day to keep (especially money) until one needs it or in case one may need it.
rain cats and dogs to rain very hard.
the rains (in tropical countries) the rainy season.
(as) right as rain perfectly all right; completely well.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
rainbow
→ قَوْس قُزَح duha regnbue Regenbogen ουράνιο τόξο arco iris, arcoíris sateenkaari arc-en-ciel duga arcobaleno 虹 무지개 regenboog regnbue tęcza arco-íris радуга regnbåge รุ้งกินน้ำ gökkuşağı cầu vồng 彩虹Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009