A sudden, heavy fall of rain. It usually lasts a short time but brings a lot of water very quickly.
A compound of 'down' + 'pour', used since the 18th century. Both parts are Old English in origin. The word vividly pictures rain pouring straight down in large amounts.
We treat 'rain' as a gentle background thing, but a downpour can dump more water in minutes than a light rain does in hours. In cities, that sudden intensity can overwhelm drains and cause flash floods. The word marks the difference between 'weather' and 'event'.
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