- drizzle
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—drizzly, adv./driz"euhl/, v., drizzled, drizzling, n.v.i.1. to rain gently and steadily in fine drops; sprinkle: It drizzled throughout the night.2. to fall in fine drops.v.t.3. to rain or let fall in fine drops; sprinkle: He drizzled honey over the fruit.4. to pour in a fine stream: Drizzle melted butter over the breadcrumb topping.n.5. a very light rain.6. Meteorol. precipitation consisting of numerous, minute droplets of water less than 1/50 in. (0.5 mm) in diameter.[1535-45; perh. back formation from dryseling, dissimilated var. of ME drysning fall (of dew); akin to OE dreosan to fall; c. OS driosan, Goth driusan]
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very small, numerous water drops that may appear to float while being carried by air currents; drizzle drops generally have diameters between about 0.2 and 0.5 millimetre (0.008 and 0.02 inch). Smaller ones are usually cloud or fog droplets, while larger drops are called raindrops. Drizzle often is accompanied by fog but differs from it because drizzle drops fall to the ground. Drizzle commonly falls from stratus clouds. See also rain.* * *
Universalium. 2010.