What does it mean when you say raining cats and dogs? “Cats and dogs” may come from the Greek expression cata doxa, which means “contrary to experience or belief.” If it is raining cats and dogs, it is raining unusually or unbelievably hard. “Cats and dogs” may be a perversion of the now obsolete word catadupe. In old English, catadupe meant a cataract or waterfall.
Where does the phrase it’s raining cats and dogs come from? Witches would ride their brooms during a storm and were often seen with a black cat as signs of heavy rain for sailors. So, in this case the phrase raining cats and dogs could be involved with wind and heavy rain which are both prominent during strong, heavy rain events.
Who coined the phrase raining cats and dogs? The phrase is supposed to have originated in England in the 17th century. City streets were then filthy and heavy rain would occasionally carry along dead animals. Richard Brome’s The City Witt, 1652 has the line ‘It shall rain dogs and polecats’.
Is raining cats and dogs an idiom or hyperbole? Answer and Explanation:
“It’s raining cats and dogs” is an idiomatic expression and not a hyperbole.