dry
free from moisture or excess moisture; not moist; not wet: a dry towel; dry air.
having or characterized by little or no rain: a dry climate; the dry season.
characterized by absence, deficiency, or failure of natural or ordinary moisture.
not under, in, or on water: It was good to be on dry land.
not now containing or yielding water or other liquid; depleted or empty of liquid: The well is dry.
not yielding milk: a dry cow.
free from tears: dry eyes.
drained or evaporated away: a dry river.
desiring drink; thirsty: He was so dry he could hardly speak.
causing thirst: dry work.
served or eaten without butter, jam, etc.: dry toast.
(of cooked food) lacking enough moisture or juice to be satisfying or succulent.
(of bread and bakery products) stale.
of or relating to nonliquid substances or commodities: dry measure; dry provisions.
(of wines) not sweet.
(of a cocktail)
made with dry vermouth: a dry Manhattan.
made with relatively little dry vermouth: a dry martini.
characterized by or favoring prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors for use in beverages: a dry state.
(of British biscuits) not sweet.
plain; bald; unadorned: dry facts.
dull; uninteresting: a dry subject.
expressed in a straight-faced, matter-of-fact way: dry humor.
indifferent; cold; unemotional: a dry answer.
unproductive: The greatest of artists have dry years.
(of lumber) fully seasoned.
Building Trades.
(of masonry construction) built without fresh mortar or cement.
(of a wall, ceiling, etc., in an interior) finished without the use of fresh plaster.
Ceramics.
insufficiently glazed.
Art. hard and formal in outline, or lacking mellowness and warmth in color.
to make dry; free from moisture: to dry the dishes.
to become dry; lose moisture.
a prohibitionist.
a dry place, area, or region.
dry out,
to make or become completely dry.
to undergo or cause to undergo detoxification from consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol.
dry up,
to make or become completely dry.
to cease to exist; evaporate.
Informal. to stop talking.
(in acting) to forget one's lines or part.
Idioms about dry
not dry behind the ears, immature; unsophisticated: Adult responsibilities were forced on him, although he was still not dry behind the ears.
Origin of dry
1synonym study For dry
Other words for dry
Opposites for dry
Other words from dry
- dry·a·ble, adjective
- dryly, adverb
- dryness, noun
- o·ver·dry, adjective
- o·ver·dry·ly, adverb
- o·ver·dry·ness, noun
- pre·dry, verb (used with object), pre·dried, pre·dry·ing.
- re·dry, verb, re·dried, re·dry·ing.
- ul·tra·dry, adjective
- un·der·dry, verb (used with object), un·der·dried, un·der·dry·ing.
- un·dry, adjective
- un·dry·a·ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use dry in a sentence
The heat radiating from the sun dries up water and causes it to evaporate.
Sun+Water= High Tech Caribbean Luxury At The Cusinart Resort | The Daily Beast | June 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTA new exhibit attempts to explain the source of designer Dries Van Noten's creativity.
Dries Van Noten: Inspirations is on display at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs through August 31.
Producers and writers Julie Plec and Caroline Dries will also be attending.
But what happens once this retrospectively meager foreign aid money dries up?
You don't mind staying here in the sunshine, I hope, while my coat dries?
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyThe flue from the engine is carried through the drying room and dries his leather.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickGum is excreted from various plants as a thick fluid, which dries up into transparent masses.
Elements of Agricultural Chemistry | Thomas AndersonThe western side of the inlet is occupied by a bank of clay, that dries at low water.
When the weather dries up a little, I shall return these and push other things in.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie | George Brenton Laurie
British Dictionary definitions for dry
/ (draɪ) /
lacking moisture; not damp or wet
having little or no rainfall
not in or under water: dry land
having the water drained away or evaporated: a dry river
not providing milk: a dry cow
(of the eyes) free from tears
informal in need of a drink; thirsty
causing thirst: dry work
eaten without butter, jam, etc: dry toast
(of a wine, cider, etc) not sweet
pathol not accompanied by or producing a mucous or watery discharge: a dry cough
consisting of solid as opposed to liquid substances or commodities
without adornment; plain: dry facts
lacking interest or stimulation: a dry book
lacking warmth or emotion; cold: a dry greeting
(of wit or humour) shrewd and keen in an impersonal, sarcastic, or laconic way
opposed to or prohibiting the sale of alcoholic liquor for human consumption: a dry area
NZ (of a ewe) without a lamb after the mating season
electronics (of a soldered electrical joint) imperfect because the solder has not adhered to the metal, thus reducing conductance
(when intr, often foll by off) to make or become dry or free from moisture
(tr) to preserve (meat, vegetables, fruit, etc) by removing the moisture
British informal a Conservative politician who is considered to be a hard-liner: Compare wet (def. 10)
the dry Australian informal the dry season
US and Canadian an informal word for prohibitionist
Origin of dry
1Derived forms of dry
- dryable, adjective
- dryness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with dry
In addition to the idioms beginning with dry
- dry as dust
- dry behind the ears
- dry out
- dry run
- dry up
also see:
- cut and dried
- hang out to dry
- high and dry
- keep one's powder dry
- well's run dry
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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