/ ˈʃaʊə(r); NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a piece of equipment producing a spray of water that you stand under to wash yourself; the small room or part of a room that contains a shower :
a hotel room with bath and shower
He's in the shower .
a shower cubicle
2.
the act of washing yourself with a shower :
( especially BrE )
to have a shower
( especially NAmE )
to take a shower
shower gel
3.
a short period of rain or snow :
scattered showers
April showers
We were caught in a heavy shower.
snow showers
wintry showers (= of snow)
4.
a large number of things that arrive or fall together :
a shower of leaves
a shower of sparks from the fire
a shower of kisses
5.
( NAmE ) a party at which you give presents to a woman who is getting married or having a baby :
a bridal / baby shower
■ verb
1.
[ v ] to wash yourself under a shower :
She showered and dressed and went downstairs.
2.
[ v ] shower (down) on sb/sth | shower down to fall onto sb/sth, especially in a lot of small pieces :
Volcanic ash showered down on the town after the eruption.
3.
[ vn ] shower sb with sth to drop a lot of small things onto sb :
The bride and groom were showered with rice as they left the church.
The roof collapsed, showering us with dust and debris.
4.
[ vn ] shower sb with sth | shower sth on sb to give sb a lot of sth :
He showered her with gifts.
He showered gifts on her.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English scūr light fall of rain, hail, etc. , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch schoer and German Schauer .