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dry well

American  

noun

  1. a drainage pit lined with loose stonework for the leaching of liquid wastes.

  2. absorbing well.


Etymology

Origin of dry well

First recorded in 1760–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He added: "I will not go quietly. I will not be cancelled for convenience. I was tried by media and hung out to dry well before the facts were established."

From BBC Jul. 8, 2025

A Bend, Oregon, man who went missing on Christmas Day was found alive and in good condition in a dry well inside a gated storage unit facility, local police said.

From Washington Times Dec. 29, 2023

Remove the seeds from the squash, rinse thoroughly to remove any lingering squash and dry well.

From Washington Post Nov. 15, 2022

When Vasquez left his job with the town of Willcox and started working for a company that manages small water systems across the county, he encountered the same dry well crisis everywhere he went.

From Salon Oct. 26, 2022

He saw that in this dusty and fathomless matter of learning the true name of every place, thing, and being, the power he wanted lay like a jewel at the bottom of a dry well.

From "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. Le Guin

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