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
Words Nearby dry
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dry in a sentence
Conventional wisdom says sweeter, or off-dry wines pair best with hot and spicy dishes.
The new wine rules: Drink what you like with what you want to eat | Dave McIntyre | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostGREAT VALUEZeni FeF Collection, Corvina Veronese 2018Lively and bright, with savory flavors dried fig and wild herbs, this delicious red is a pick-me-up for your palate.
This $14 Italian red is a gem that invites a pairing with a pot roast or pasta | Dave McIntyre | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostNow, as we walk along a pathway winding between shrubs and dry grasses, Cook makes the case that the Watch has ushered in a new era of fitness tracking, and not just for dedicated athletes.
Another winter storm is possible over the weekend before a cold and dry Presidents’ Day.
D.C.-area forecast: Cloudy and milder today before winter storm threats arrive | Matt Rogers | February 9, 2021 | Washington PostLast year proved to be one of the most challenging years on record for the media industry with ad revenue drying up in the second quarter, but for Group Nine, it was magnified by its entry into its first full year following the merger with PopSugar.
‘Proactive is the path’: Group Nine’s Geoff Schiller on his selling strategy | Kayleigh Barber | February 9, 2021 | Digiday
My understanding was that according to most Christian beliefs, being trans or gay was a sin, cut and dry.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen | Parker Molloy | January 1, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTFold the parchment paper with the dry ingredients in half and pour into the stand mixer.
Make ‘The Chew’s’ Carla Hall’s Sticky Toffee Pudding | Carla Hall | December 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAllow beans to cool completely then remove to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole | Carla Hall | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEven when he opens up, the sentences are wooden, the scenes sucked dry of emotion.
The Story of the World’s Greatest Cricket Player | William O’Connor | December 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTExtra dry, for example, is actually sweeter than brut, which is drier than demi-sec, which is somewhat sweet.
The tears came so fast to Mrs. Pontellier's eyes that the damp sleeve of her peignoir no longer served to dry them.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories | Kate ChopinBut Polavieja started his campaign with the immense advantage of having the whole of the dry season before him.
The Philippine Islands | John ForemanTheir method of curing the leaves was to air-dry them and then packing them until wanted for use.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.The smoke from her kitchen fire rose white as she put in dry sumac to give it a start.
The Bondboy | George W. (George Washington) OgdenTurn we our backs to the cold gloomy north, to the wet windy west, to the dry parching east—on to the south!
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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