Phrase Finder

It never rains but it pours

What's the meaning of the phrase 'It never rains but it pours'?

When troubles come they come together.

What's the origin of the phrase 'It never rains but it pours'?

A proverbial phrase. The origin is unknown but the phrase has been in use since the early 18th century; for example, this item from a work by John Arbuthnot, 1726:

It cannot rain but it pours; or London strow’d with rarities.

See also: the List of Proverbs.

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Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
It never rains but it pours

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