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Rainmaker

//ˈɹeɪnmeɪkə// noun, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Someone or something that causes or attempts to cause rain to fall.

    "It is the uncertainty of rainfall in southern California that doubtless makes this region attractive to the rainmaker. […] An examination into the methods of the rainmaker shows a disregard of physical laws, and a review of the history of rainmaking affords no proof of his success. By far the most important feature of his work consists in playing upon the credulity of mankind."

  2. 2
    American Indian medicine man who attempt to make it rain wordnet
  3. 3
    Someone or something that causes or attempts to cause rain to fall.; A medicine man, shaman, or the like, who seeks to induce rain through performing rituals, as in African or Native American cultures.

    "Drought is the inherent vice of the climate of Africa, and the frequent destruction of the hopes of the husbandman which occurs from this cause, might have given origin to the function of "Rainmaker," among a less superstitious population. […] To procure rain, an ox is killed; the fat of it is chopped and mixed with different kinds of wood and leaves of trees; the whole are then burned. The secret of the business is to gain time by various artifices, until the rainmaker sees clouds arising in that direction from which rain generally comes."

  4. 4
    executive who is very successful in bringing in business to their company or firm wordnet
  5. 5
    Someone or something that causes or attempts to cause rain to fall.; A person who seeks to induce rainfall through scientific methods, such as cloud seeding.

    "Rainmakers consider seeding Bangkok sky as PM2.5 returns to ‘safe’ level [title] […] The Royal Rainmaking and Agricultural Aviation Department is preparing to seed clouds above Bangkok in an attempt to ease the capital’s smog problems."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A person having the ability to generate business, raise funds, or otherwise engineer success for a company, organization, etc. US, figuratively, informal

    "The law firm relied heavily on Charlotte as its main rainmaker to bring in new clients."

  2. 7
    A batted ball that is hit very high into the air. informal

    "The slugger is known for hitting rainmakers."

Etymology

From rain + maker.

See also for "rainmaker"

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