dry
♦♦ dry /dr'aɪ/ (drieror dryer driest dries drying dried)
1 [ADJ]
If something is dry, there is no water or moisture on it or in it.
Clean the metal with a soft dry cloth...
Pat it dry with a soft towel...
Once the paint is dry, apply a coat of the red ochre emulsion paint...
≠ wet, damp
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
...the parched dryness of the air.
2 [VERB] V, V n
When something dries or when you dry it, it becomes dry.
Leave your hair to dry naturally whenever possible...
Wash and dry the lettuce...
3 [VERB] V n
When you dry the dishes after a meal, you wipe the water off the plates, cups, knives, pans, and other things when they have been washed, using a cloth.
Mrs. Madrigal began drying dishes.
= wipe
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Dry up means the same as dry. (BRIT)
He got up and stood beside Julie, drying up the dishes while she washed.
4 [ADJ]
If you say that your skin or hair is dry, you mean that it is less oily than, or not as soft as, normal.
Nothing looks worse than dry, cracked lips...
≠ greasy
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
Dryness of the skin can also be caused by living in centrally heated homes and offices.
5 [ADJ]
If the weather or a period of time is dry, there is no rain or there is much less rain than average.
Exceptionally dry weather over the past year had cut agricultural production...
≠ wet
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A dry place or climate is one that gets very little rainfall.
...a hot, dry climate where the sun is shining all the time.
= arid
≠ wet
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
He was advised to spend time in the warmth and dryness of Italy.
7 [N-SING] the N, usu in N
In the dry means in a place or at a time that is not damp, wet, or rainy. (mainly BRIT)
Such cars, however, do grip the road well, even in the dry.
≠ wet
8 [ADJ]
If a river, lake, or well is dry, it is empty of water, usually because of hot weather and lack of rain.
9 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If an oil well is dry, it is no longer producing any oil.
10 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If your mouth or throat is dry, it has little or no saliva in it, and so feels very unpleasant, perhaps because you are tense or ill.
His mouth was dry, he needed a drink...
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT] usu with supp
Symptoms included frequent dryness in the mouth.
11 [ADJ]
If someone has dry eyes, there are no tears in their eyes; often used with negatives or in contexts where you are expressing surprise that they are not crying.
There were few dry eyes in the house when I finished...
≠ moist
12 [ADJ]
If a country, state, or city is dry, it has laws or rules which forbid anyone to drink, sell, or buy alcoholic drink. (INFORMAL)
Gujurat has been a totally dry state for the past thirty years.
= teetotal
13 [ADJ] v n ADJ
If you say that someone is sucking something dry or milking it dry, you are criticizing them for taking all the good things from it until there is nothing left.
He's just milking the company dry.
14 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Dry humour is very amusing, but in a subtle and clever way.
Fulton has retained his dry humour...
● drily [ADV] ADV with v, ADV adj
`That is surprising.'--`Hardly,' I said drily.
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
Her writing has a wry dryness.
15 [ADJ]
If you describe something such as a book, play, or activity as dry, you mean that it is dull and uninteresting.
...dry, academic phrases.
16 [ADJ] ADJ n
Dry bread or toast is plain and not covered with butter or jam.
For breakfast, they had dry bread and tea.
17 [ADJ]
Dry sherry or wine does not have a sweet taste.
...a glass of chilled, dry white wine.
≠ sweet
18
high and dry: see high
home and dry: see homebone dry
also bone-dry
[ADJ]
If you say that something is bone dry, you are emphasizing that it is very dry indeed.
Now the river bed is bone dry.dry clean|er (dry cleaners)
[N-COUNT]
A dry cleaner or a dry cleaner's is a shop where things can be dry-cleaned.dry dock (dry docks)
[N-COUNT]
A dry dock is a dock from which water can be removed so that ships or boats can be built or repaired.dry goods
[N-PLURAL]
Dry goods are cloth, thread, and other things that are sold at a draper's shop. (AM; in BRIT, use drapery, haberdashery)dry land
[N-UNCOUNT] oft on N
If you talk about dry land, you are referring to land, in contrast to the sea or the air.
We were glad to be on dry land again.dry off
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If something dries off or if you dry it off, the moisture on its surface disappears or is removed.
They are then scrubbed with clean water and left to dry off for an hour or two in a warm room...
When the bath water started to cool I got out, dried myself off, and dressed.dry out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P
If something dries out or is dried out, it loses all the moisture that was in it and becomes hard.
If the soil is allowed to dry out the tree could die...
The cold winds dry out your skin very quickly.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, also be V-ed P
If someone dries out or is dried out, they are cured of addiction to alcohol. (INFORMAL)
He checked into Cedars Sinai Hospital to dry out...dry rot
[N-UNCOUNT]
Dry rot is a serious disease of wood. It is caused by a fungus and causes wood to decay.
The house was riddled with dry rot.dry run (dry runs)
[N-COUNT] oft N for n
If you have a dry run, you practise something to make sure that you are ready to do it properly.
The competition is planned as a dry run for the World Cup finals.dry ski slope (dry ski slopes)
or dry slope
[N-COUNT]
A dry ski slope is a slope made of an artificial substance on which you can practise skiing.dry up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P
If something dries up or if something dries it up, it loses all its moisture and becomes completely dry and shrivelled or hard.
As the day goes on, the pollen dries up and becomes hard...
Warm breezes from the South dried up the streets.
● dried-up [ADJ]
...a tuft or two of dried-up grass.
= desiccated
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a river, lake, or well dries up, it becomes empty of water, usually because of hot weather and a lack of rain.
Reservoirs are drying up and farmers have begun to leave their land...
● dried-up [ADJ]
...a dried-up river bed.
= dry
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a supply of something dries up, it stops.
Investment could dry up and that could cause the economy to falter...
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you dry up when you are speaking, you stop in the middle of what you were saying, because you cannot think what to say next.
If you ask her what she's good at she will dry up after two minutes.
5
see dry 3
6
see also dried-up, drying up
1 [ADJ]
If something is dry, there is no water or moisture on it or in it.
Clean the metal with a soft dry cloth...
Pat it dry with a soft towel...
Once the paint is dry, apply a coat of the red ochre emulsion paint...
≠ wet, damp
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
...the parched dryness of the air.
2 [VERB] V, V n
When something dries or when you dry it, it becomes dry.
Leave your hair to dry naturally whenever possible...
Wash and dry the lettuce...
3 [VERB] V n
When you dry the dishes after a meal, you wipe the water off the plates, cups, knives, pans, and other things when they have been washed, using a cloth.
Mrs. Madrigal began drying dishes.
= wipe
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Dry up means the same as dry. (BRIT)
He got up and stood beside Julie, drying up the dishes while she washed.
4 [ADJ]
If you say that your skin or hair is dry, you mean that it is less oily than, or not as soft as, normal.
Nothing looks worse than dry, cracked lips...
≠ greasy
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
Dryness of the skin can also be caused by living in centrally heated homes and offices.
5 [ADJ]
If the weather or a period of time is dry, there is no rain or there is much less rain than average.
Exceptionally dry weather over the past year had cut agricultural production...
≠ wet
6 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
A dry place or climate is one that gets very little rainfall.
...a hot, dry climate where the sun is shining all the time.
= arid
≠ wet
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
He was advised to spend time in the warmth and dryness of Italy.
7 [N-SING] the N, usu in N
In the dry means in a place or at a time that is not damp, wet, or rainy. (mainly BRIT)
Such cars, however, do grip the road well, even in the dry.
≠ wet
8 [ADJ]
If a river, lake, or well is dry, it is empty of water, usually because of hot weather and lack of rain.
9 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If an oil well is dry, it is no longer producing any oil.
10 [ADJ] usu v-link ADJ
If your mouth or throat is dry, it has little or no saliva in it, and so feels very unpleasant, perhaps because you are tense or ill.
His mouth was dry, he needed a drink...
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT] usu with supp
Symptoms included frequent dryness in the mouth.
11 [ADJ]
If someone has dry eyes, there are no tears in their eyes; often used with negatives or in contexts where you are expressing surprise that they are not crying.
There were few dry eyes in the house when I finished...
≠ moist
12 [ADJ]
If a country, state, or city is dry, it has laws or rules which forbid anyone to drink, sell, or buy alcoholic drink. (INFORMAL)
Gujurat has been a totally dry state for the past thirty years.
= teetotal
13 [ADJ] v n ADJ
If you say that someone is sucking something dry or milking it dry, you are criticizing them for taking all the good things from it until there is nothing left.
He's just milking the company dry.
14 [ADJ] usu ADJ n
Dry humour is very amusing, but in a subtle and clever way.
Fulton has retained his dry humour...
● drily [ADV] ADV with v, ADV adj
`That is surprising.'--`Hardly,' I said drily.
● dryness [N-UNCOUNT]
Her writing has a wry dryness.
15 [ADJ]
If you describe something such as a book, play, or activity as dry, you mean that it is dull and uninteresting.
...dry, academic phrases.
16 [ADJ] ADJ n
Dry bread or toast is plain and not covered with butter or jam.
For breakfast, they had dry bread and tea.
17 [ADJ]
Dry sherry or wine does not have a sweet taste.
...a glass of chilled, dry white wine.
≠ sweet
18
high and dry: see high
home and dry: see homebone dry
also bone-dry
[ADJ]
If you say that something is bone dry, you are emphasizing that it is very dry indeed.
Now the river bed is bone dry.dry clean|er (dry cleaners)
[N-COUNT]
A dry cleaner or a dry cleaner's is a shop where things can be dry-cleaned.dry dock (dry docks)
[N-COUNT]
A dry dock is a dock from which water can be removed so that ships or boats can be built or repaired.dry goods
[N-PLURAL]
Dry goods are cloth, thread, and other things that are sold at a draper's shop. (AM; in BRIT, use drapery, haberdashery)dry land
[N-UNCOUNT] oft on N
If you talk about dry land, you are referring to land, in contrast to the sea or the air.
We were glad to be on dry land again.dry off
[PHRASAL VERB] V P, V n P, also V P n (not pron)
If something dries off or if you dry it off, the moisture on its surface disappears or is removed.
They are then scrubbed with clean water and left to dry off for an hour or two in a warm room...
When the bath water started to cool I got out, dried myself off, and dressed.dry out
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P
If something dries out or is dried out, it loses all the moisture that was in it and becomes hard.
If the soil is allowed to dry out the tree could die...
The cold winds dry out your skin very quickly.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, also be V-ed P
If someone dries out or is dried out, they are cured of addiction to alcohol. (INFORMAL)
He checked into Cedars Sinai Hospital to dry out...dry rot
[N-UNCOUNT]
Dry rot is a serious disease of wood. It is caused by a fungus and causes wood to decay.
The house was riddled with dry rot.dry run (dry runs)
[N-COUNT] oft N for n
If you have a dry run, you practise something to make sure that you are ready to do it properly.
The competition is planned as a dry run for the World Cup finals.dry ski slope (dry ski slopes)
or dry slope
[N-COUNT]
A dry ski slope is a slope made of an artificial substance on which you can practise skiing.dry up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P n (not pron), also V n P
If something dries up or if something dries it up, it loses all its moisture and becomes completely dry and shrivelled or hard.
As the day goes on, the pollen dries up and becomes hard...
Warm breezes from the South dried up the streets.
● dried-up [ADJ]
...a tuft or two of dried-up grass.
= desiccated
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a river, lake, or well dries up, it becomes empty of water, usually because of hot weather and a lack of rain.
Reservoirs are drying up and farmers have begun to leave their land...
● dried-up [ADJ]
...a dried-up river bed.
= dry
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a supply of something dries up, it stops.
Investment could dry up and that could cause the economy to falter...
4 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you dry up when you are speaking, you stop in the middle of what you were saying, because you cannot think what to say next.
If you ask her what she's good at she will dry up after two minutes.
5
see dry 3
6
see also dried-up, drying up