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drying

American  
[drahy-ing] / ˈdraɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing dryness.

    a drying breeze.

  2. designed to become or capable of becoming dry and hard on exposure to air.


drying British  
/ ˈdraɪɪŋ /

noun

  1. the action or process of making or becoming dry

  2. Also called (not now in technical usage): seasoning.  the processing of timber until it has a moisture content suitable for the purposes for which it is to be used

"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

adjective

  1. causing dryness

    a drying wind

"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 Word Forms

  • nondrying adjective
  • undrying adjective

Etymology

Origin of drying

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; dry, -ing 2

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.

Danny washed his plate and set it on the drying rack.

From Literature

Mama was washing, Daddy was drying, and I was putting away the dishes from lunch.

From Literature

The cuticular hydrocarbons have another function: they form a waxy barrier that prevents the beetle from drying out.

From Los Angeles Times

As Chase was drying his hair in the Shack’s kitchen, he realized that they didn’t have a single photograph hanging up, from either their former or current life.

From Literature

The irony, however, is that those flows drying up may ultimately boost the argument for bonds in a balanced portfolio.

From MarketWatch