drain v
   1 Phr drain one's words: in singing, to hold the syllables of words for an unusually long time.
   T 265/6-66 He did drain his words. Oh, my, he'd go off. You could go out of doors and come back and he be still drainin' his words. Lot of breath.
   2 Comb drain-bulk: a stage in the curing of cod-fish in which the split and salted fish are laid in piles to drain before being moved to the 'flake' to dry; cp BULK n, SALT-BULK.
   1819 ANSPACH 435 They then take up each fish separately, cleaning carefully back and belly with a woollen cloth, and next lay it in a long even bulk on the stage to drain... It may remain in drain-bulk no more than two days.
   drain hole: opening in the ice used by seals; BOBBING-HOLE; SWATCH n.
   1977 Inuit Land Use 218 [The arrival of the harp seals] coincided with the first appearance of drain holes, or openings in the ice cover.

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