dry run

American  

noun

1. a rehearsal or practice exercise.

2. Military. practice in firing arms without using live ammunition.

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dry run British  

noun

1. military practice in weapon firing, a drill, or a manoeuvre without using live ammunition

2. informal a trial or practice, esp in simulated conditions; rehearsal

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dry run Idioms  

1. A trial exercise or rehearsal, as in Regard this as a dry run for tonight's ceremony. This term, using dry in the sense of “unproductive,” was at first employed mainly in the military for simulated bombings in which no bombs were dropped. [c. 1940]

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Other Word Forms

• dry-run adjective

Etymology

Origin of dry run

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

U.S. special operations forces began to do dry runs of the extraction, practicing on a replica of his Caracas compound at a military base.

From The Wall Street Journal

But only a few of his movies carried much of a political message, notably his 1995 film “The American President,” written by Mr. Sorkin and a sort of dry run for his “The West Wing.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Much of the build-up to both of England's recent games against New Zealand was if it was a dry run for next year's Rugby World Cup final.

From BBC

Officers had acted on intelligence and tracked the movements of two previous shipments in the lead-up to the seizure which officers described as "dry runs".

From BBC

This isn’t necessary for everyone, but if a child is worried about how they’ll get to campus or where to find a bathroom, a dry run may allay their concerns.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• dress rehearsal
• tryout