storm cats and dogs

English

Verb

storm cats and dogs (third-person singular simple present storms cats and dogs, present participle storming cats and dogs, simple past and past participle stormed cats and dogs)

1. To storm and rain heavily; synonym of rain cats and dogs.
   • 1913, Pearson's Magazine, page 376:

     About 10 o'clock, Burdell pushed forth into the wind and the rain — it was storming cats and dogs — and headed for his home at 31 Bond.

   • 1934, Nancy Noon Kendall, The New House:

     Annie was standing beside the stove, showing her assistant, a Finnish girl from the village, how to flip bacon grease up and over frying eggs. “I think it is going to storm cats and dogs today, Dad,” announced Danny, jerking his thumb […]

   • 2011, Tommy Chamberlain, A Spoon Full of Sugar, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 7:

     It was storming cats and dogs, with lighting and thunder.