Raining 'CATS' and 'DOGS' - etymology

[new_etymology]

In English we use an idiom 'IT RAINS CATS AND DOGS' about a heavy rain and storm. And, although NO dogs or cats EVER fell from the clouds instead of raindrops, one imagines exactly these animals falling from above:

Comments

[ptahin_a]

Thank you. Very interesting.

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[waitingman]

Thanks for this... I'd never really thought about the origins of the expression, though I use it from time to time

[surferchirm]

good

[samosval671]

когда говорят, мол льёт как из ведра, я вот, к примеру, тоже уверен что там кто-то ведро таки наклонил...