The etymology of the phrase isn't known. From wikipedia, there are four theories:
* An email commonly circulated claimed that in 16th century Europe when peasant homes were commonly thatched, the home was constructed in such a manner that animals could crawl into the thatch and find shelter from the elements, and would fall out during heavy rain. Cats and dogs do not generally get into thatch. * Drainage systems on buildings in 17th century Europe were poor, and may have disgorged their contents during heavy showers, including the corpses of any animals that had accumulated in them. This occurrence is documented in Johnathan Swift's 1710 poem 'Description of a City Shower', in which he describes "Drowned puppies, stinking sprats, all drenched in mud,/Dead cats and turnip-tops come tumbling down the flood." * The Greek word Katadoupoi, referring to the waterfalls on the Nile, sounds similar to "cats and dogs" * The Greek phrase "kata doksa", which means "contrary to expectation" is often applied to heavy rain, but there is no evidence to support the theory that it was borrowed by English speakers.
No! 'its raining cats and dogs' is an Idiom.
In olden times people threw rubbish into the street. In amongst the rubbish would be cats and dogs which would be washed along the street during heavy rain. Hence raining cats and dogs. Of course, they are not literally raining from above!
The expression 'raining cats and dogs' means that it is raining really hard, so people figured that if animals were coming from the sky they would be coming down really hard too.
No, that is just a metaphor meaning "it's raining heavily".
It doesn't stand for anything. It just means there were some cats and some dogs somewhere.
The phrase "it's raining cats and dogs!" is hyperbole.
No! 'its raining cats and dogs' is an Idiom.
"It's raining cats and dogs" is an idiom.
Raining cats and dogs mean that it's raining very hard
The phrase dog vs cat isn't common but it would mean that they are fighting or battling. However, raining cats and dogs means that it is raining heavily.
There is an expression - "raining cats and dogs". This does not mean that cats and/or dogs are literally falling from the sky, it simply means that it is raining very hard.
under what headword would you find the idiom raining cats and dogs?
Its raining cats and dogs!
It is raining heavily
No. I suppose someone could drop them from a high spot and make that illusion, but rain is evaporated water. If you're reffering to the phrase, "It's raining cats and dogs", then I can explain. That phrase came up a long time ago. People put slates for roofs. When it rained the cats and dogs up there fell because it got slippery. This made it look like it was raining cats and dogs.
In olden times people threw rubbish into the street. In amongst the rubbish would be cats and dogs which would be washed along the street during heavy rain. Hence raining cats and dogs. Of course, they are not literally raining from above!
You don't need a list. The literal meaning is whatever the phrase sounds like. For example, the literal meaning of "raining cats and dogs" would be dogs and cats falling out of the clouds.