How did the phrase 'it's raining cats and dogs' originate?

The popular weather phrase, "it's raining cats and dogs" can be traced back hundreds of years in different works of literature.
Trending even warmer in the coming days

It's Raining Cats and Dogs – Idiom, Meaning and Origin

Royal Language Academy - IDIOM OF THE DAY --------------------------- It's Raining Cats and Dogs Meaning: It's 'raining cats and dogs' means it is raining very heavily. Example: The weather was horrible yesterday.

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It's Raining Cats and Dogs – Idiom, Meaning and Origin

Raining Cats and Dogs - Idiom Meaning, Origin, & Examples

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What is the origin of the phrase it's raining cats and dogs?