noun

drizzle

DRIH-zuhl

noun

Very light rain made up of fine, closely spaced droplets.

"A cold drizzle settled over the city all morning."

"We walked home through a light drizzle."

verb

To rain lightly, or to pour a liquid slowly and thinly over food.

"It started to drizzle just as we left the house."

"Drizzle olive oil over the salad before serving."

How to Use Drizzle

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA light, fine rain — or, in cooking, to trickle a liquid like oil or honey thinly over something.

Common mistake

Drizzle is much lighter than a shower or downpour; don't use it for heavy rain.

Common pairings

light drizzle drizzle with oil a fine drizzle

drizzled past tense, drizzles plural, drizzles singular

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Can you complete this real example?

A cold _____ settled over the city all morning.

Likely traces back to an Old English word for dew falling, related to an old sense of "drowsing" or settling gently.

fizzle sizzle