Raining-tree
Preserved but no longer current.
Also seen as: Rain-tree
Old travellers to the Canaries frequently mentioned a linden tree from which sufficient water to supply all the men and beasts of the whole of the island of Fierro was said to fall. Of course, in certain states of the weather moisture will condense and collect on the broad leaves of many trees.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Raining-tree” mean?
Old travellers to the Canaries frequently mentioned a linden tree from which sufficient water to supply all the men and beasts of the whole of the island of Fierro was said to fall. Of course, in certain states of the weather moisture will condense and collect on the broad leaves of many trees.
Is “Raining-tree” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.