rain [OE] The word rain, spelt regn in Old English, features in a number of sayings and common expressions. The phrase it is raining cats and dogs is first found in the mid 16th century, but no convincing explanation of its origin has been found. Someone concerned about a future period of financial need might talk about saving for a rainy day [L16th]. This may go back to the days when farm labourers working on a casual basis needed to save a proportion of their wages for times when bad weather stopped them working and earning money. One way of politely refusing an offer is to imply that you might take it up at a later date, or take a rain check [L19th]. In the USA a rain check is a ticket given to spectators at a sporting event. If the event is cancelled because of rain—or ‘rained off’—they can then claim a refund.