drain across

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "drain across" is not commonly used in written English and may not be clear in meaning without context.
It could potentially be used in contexts related to fluid dynamics or metaphorically to describe a transfer of resources or energy. Example: "The water began to drain across the surface of the field after the heavy rain."

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

The western portions drain across an inclined plane by a longer, dendritic drainage pattern that flows generally northwest into the Ohio River.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In a typical transistor, like those found by the millions on a computer chip, a voltage from a gate electrode controls the current that flows between two other electrodes, known as the source and drain, across a semiconducting material.

The New York Times - Science

External attempts to reverse the "brain drain" across the developing world in recent years have included clamping down on aggressive recruitment of doctors by wealthy countries dangling high wages.

The Guardian

The Strouma and Mesta are two of the largest rivers that drain across SW Bulgaria and northern Greece into the northern Aegean Sea.

Quaternary Science Reviews

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

According to both the EM and CCQ methods, the OBIA performs well detecting ~500 km of drains across the study area.

Carbon Balance and Management

The EM method reported the overall accuracy for the extracted drains across the entire reference area to be 94%, the user's accuracy was 83% and the producer's accuracy was 60%.

Carbon Balance and Management

My family left Nigeria during the military dictatorship in the mid-eighties, just like many middle-class families that created a brain-drain across the country.

Huffington Post

The flooding was made worse by water not being able to drain away across the city.

Independent

Glaciers descend from the permanently snow-clad top of the range, and major rivers, including the Rakaia, Rangitata, and Waitaki, drain eastward across the Canterbury Plains.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Here, we quantitatively analyse the long profiles of rivers that drain southwards across the South Atlas Fault (SAF), a thrust fault that forms the southern margin of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, to derive new data on the Late Cenozoic activity of this fault system.

Tectonophysics

So half a block of runoff always flowed toward us, and the sewer drain directly across from us, when storms came.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the movement of fluids or other substances, consider whether "drain across" accurately conveys the specific type of movement (e.g. flowing, seeping, spreading) and choose a more precise verb if needed.

Common error

Avoid using "drain across" metaphorically when describing abstract concepts like emotional energy or resources, as it may sound awkward or unnatural. Opt for verbs like "deplete" or "diminish" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drain across" functions as a verb phrase, typically describing the movement of a liquid or substance from one point to another over a surface. It often implies a sense of emptying or clearing as the movement occurs, as illustrated in some of Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "drain across" is used to describe the motion of fluids or other substances across a surface, often implying a process of emptying or clearing. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase, while acceptable, is not very common and may benefit from using more descriptive alternatives depending on the context. It appears in various sources, including science, news, and encyclopedias, reflecting a neutral formality level. When using "drain across", ensure it accurately represents the type of movement you're describing and avoid overuse in metaphorical contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

flow over

Focuses on the movement of a liquid or substance over a surface.

spread across

Emphasizes the distribution of something over an area.

seep through

Suggests a gradual movement of liquid through a porous material.

run along

Implies a linear flow or extension across a surface.

extend over

Focuses on the spatial reach or coverage across a region.

empty into

Describes the process of something flowing into another object.

trickle down

Implies a downward flow or movement.

permeate through

Emphasizes the ability of something to spread or flow throughout.

filter through

Suggests the passage of something through a medium.

diffuse through

Implies the spreading of something from a high concentration to a low concentration.

FAQs

How can I use "drain across" in a sentence?

You can use "drain across" to describe the movement of liquid over a surface, such as "The water began to drain across the field after the rain."

What are some alternatives to "drain across"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "flow over", "spread across", or "seep through".

Is it correct to use "drain across" to describe abstract concepts?

While grammatically acceptable, using "drain across" for abstract concepts like energy might not be the most natural choice. Consider using verbs like "deplete" or "diminish" instead.

What's the difference between "drain across" and "flow over"?

"Drain across" implies a process of emptying or drawing away as something moves, while "flow over" simply describes the movement of a liquid over a surface without necessarily implying removal or depletion.