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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.

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

California has recorded 1,287 dry well reports across the state this year, a 50 percent increase since 2021.

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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