What does showered mean?
"Showered" is the past tense and past participle of "shower." Literally, it means to wet someone or something thoroughly with falling water, as in "the sprinkler showered the grass." It also has an idiomatic meaning of covering or overwhelming someone with a large amount of something: "the singer was showered with flowers," "the student was showered with questions after class." The verb can describe water or another substance falling in abundance, including when the subject is the substance itself, as in "rain showered the streets." Its vivid image makes it especially useful for conveying both getting drenched and receiving an unexpectedly generous abundance of attention, praise, gifts, or questions.
To wet someone or something thoroughly with water or another falling substance.
"The hose showered the children with cool water."
When used literally, the subject is typically a source of water or a substance falling from above.
To cover or overwhelm someone with an abundance of something.
"The audience showered the performers with applause."
The idiomatic use commonly takes the form "shower someone with something."
From a gentle rain to an avalanche of gifts, "showered" captures the idea of something falling in abundance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does showered come from?
The word belongs to the English verb "shower," which comes from Old English "scur," meaning a shower of rain or a shower of dust. The modern verb developed through the usual English changes in vowel and consonant sounds, while its extended figurative sense of covering someone with an abundance of something follows a long-established pattern of metaphor based on falling water.
Related word forms
How showered is actually used
The phrase "showered with" is common for overwhelming abundance: "showered with compliments," "showered with questions." In the literal sense, it usually describes someone or something being thoroughly drenched.
Easily confused with showered
"Showered" is the past tense and past participle of "shower," while "showering" is the present participle.
"Showered" refers to being wet or covered abundantly, whereas "scurried" means to move quickly with short steps.