Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHOW'ER, n.² [Sax. scur; G. schauer, a shower, horror; schauern, to shower, to shiver, shudder, quake. Qu. Heb. Ch. and Ar. שער, to be rough, to shudder.]

1. A fall of rain or hail, of short duration. It may be applied to a like fall of snow, but this seldom occurs. It is applied to a fall of rain or hail of short continuance, of more or less violence, but never to a storm of long continuance.
2. A fall of things from the air in thick succession; as, a shower of darts or arrows; a shower of stones. – Pope.
3. A copious supply bestowed; liberal distribution; as, a great shower of gifts. – Shak.