Word forms: comparative drier, comparative dryer, superlative driest, superlative dryest, 3rd person singular presenttense dries, present participle drying, past tense, past participle dried
1. adjective
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.
The path was dry and slithery from the drought.
drynessuncountable noun
...the parched dryness of the air.
Synonyms: thirstiness, thirst, desire for a drink, parchedness More Synonyms of dry
Synonyms: aridity, drought, dehydration, aridness More Synonyms of dry
2. verb
When something dries or when you dry it, it becomes dry.
The washing might dry outside today, the sun's shining. [VERB]
Leave your hair to dry naturally whenever possible. [VERB]
Wash and dry the lettuce. [VERB noun]
Liz laughed again, got up from the water and began to dry herself. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: drain, make dry, remove the water from, wipe More Synonyms of dry
3. verb
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. [VERB noun]
[Also VERB]
Dry up means the same as dry.
[British]
He got up and stood beside Julie, drying up the dishes while she washed. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERBPARTICLE]
4. adjective
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.
Dry hair can be damaged by washing it too frequently.
My skin's been getting a little dry recently.
drynessuncountable noun
Dryness of the skin can also be caused by living in centrally heated homes and offices.
Synonyms: thirstiness, thirst, desire for a drink, parchedness More Synonyms of dry
5. adjective
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.
The spring has been unusually dry, with hardly any rain in May.
6. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A dry place or climate is one that gets very little rainfall.
It was one of the driest and dustiest places in Africa.
...a hot, dry climate where the sun is shining all the time.
drynessuncountable noun
He was advised to spend time in the warmth and dryness of Italy.
Synonyms: thirstiness, thirst, desire for a drink, parchedness More Synonyms of dry
7. singular noun [usually inNOUN]
In the dry means in a place or at a time that is not damp, wet, or rainy.
[mainly British]
Such cars, however, do grip the road well, even in the dry.
8. adjective
If a river, lake, or well is dry, it is empty of water, usually because of hot weather and lack of rain.
The aquifer which had once fed the wells was pronounced dry.
The single-engine plane landed at a dry lake in western Arizona.
In the end the Volga's waters will run dry.
9. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If an oil well is dry, it is no longer producing any oil.
To harvest oil and gas profitably from the North Sea, it must focus on the exploitationof small reserves as the big wells run dry.
10. graded adjective [verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If you are dry, you need to drink something.
[informal]
She was suddenly thirsty and dry.
Synonyms: thirsty, dehydrated, parched, dying of thirst More Synonyms of dry
11. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
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.
My throat was dry. I was at a loss for words.
drynessuncountable noun
Symptoms included frequent dryness in the mouth.
Synonyms: thirstiness, thirst, desire for a drink, parchedness More Synonyms of dry
12. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
A dry cough is one that does not produce any mucus.
13. adjective
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.
She didn't wince and her eyes were dry. Talk about brave. She was unbelievable.
14. adjective
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.
15.
See to suck someone dry
16. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Dry humour is very amusing, but in a subtle and clever way.
[approval]
Fulton has retained his dry humour.
Mr Brooke is renowned for his dry wit.
Synonyms: sarcastic, cutting, sharp, keen More Synonyms of dry
drilyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
'That is surprising.'—'Hardly,' I said drily.
...a frank and drily witty woman.
drynessuncountable noun
Her writing has a wry dryness.
Synonyms: thirstiness, thirst, desire for a drink, parchedness More Synonyms of dry
17. graded adjective
If you describe a voice as dry, you mean that it is cold or dull, and does not express any emotions.
[written]
When he crept back to his desk, he heard the dry voice of Father Laurence.
drilyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
'Possible,' I said drily, 'but not likely'.
18. adjective
If you describe something such as a book, play, or activity as dry, you mean that it is dull and uninteresting.
[disapproval]
...dry, academic phrases.
A lot of the work was very dry and boring in Westminster.
19. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
Dry bread or toast is plain and not covered with butter or jam.
For breakfast, they had dry bread and tea.
20. adjective
Dry sherry or wine does not have a sweet taste.
...a glass of chilled, dry white wine.
21. high and dry
22. home and dry
Phrasal verbs:
See dry off
See dry out
See dry up
More Synonyms of dry
dry in British English
(draɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: drier, driest, dryer or dryest
1.
lacking moisture; not damp or wet
2.
having little or no rainfall
3.
not in or under water
dry land
4.
having the water drained away or evaporated
a dry river
5.
not providing milk
a dry cow
6.
(of the eyes) free from tears
7.
a. informal
in need of a drink; thirsty
b.
causing thirst
dry work
8.
eaten without butter, jam, etc
dry toast
9.
(of a wine, cider, etc) not sweet
10. pathology
not accompanied by or producing a mucous or watery discharge
a dry cough
11.
consisting of solid as opposed to liquid substances or commodities
12.
without adornment; plain
dry facts
13.
lacking interest or stimulation
a dry book
14.
lacking warmth or emotion; cold
a dry greeting
15.
(of wit or humour) shrewd and keen in an impersonal, sarcastic, or laconic way
16.
opposed to or prohibiting the sale of alcoholic liquor for human consumption
a dry area
17. New Zealand
(of a ewe) without a lamb after the mating season
18. electronics
(of a soldered electrical joint) imperfect because the solder has not adhered to the metal, thus reducing conductance
verbWord forms: dries, drying or dried
19. (whenintr, often foll by off)
to make or become dry or free from moisture
20. (transitive)
to preserve (meat, vegetables, fruit, etc) by removing the moisture
nounWord forms: pluraldrys or dries
21. British informal
a Conservative politician who is considered to be a hard-liner
Compare wet (sense 10)
22. the dry
23. US and Canadian an informal word for prohibitionist
Derived forms
dryable (ˈdryable)
adjective
dryness (ˈdryness)
noun
Word origin
Old English drӯge; related to Old High German truckan, Old Norse draugr dry wood
dry in American English
(draɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈdrier or ˈdriest
1.
not watery; not under water
dry land
2.
having no moisture; not wet or damp
3.
not shedding tears
4.
lacking rain or water
a dry summer
5.
having lost liquid or moisture
; specif.,
a.
arid; withered
b.
empty of water or other liquid
c.
dehydrated
6.
needing water or drink; thirsty
7.
not yielding milk
a dry cow
8.
without butter, jam, etc. on it
dry toast
9.
solid; not liquid
10.
not sweet; unsweetened; sec
dry wine
11.
having no mucous or watery discharge
a dry cough
12. US
prohibiting or opposed to the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages
a dry town
13.
not colored by emotion, prejudice, etc.; plain; matter-of-fact
dry facts
14.
clever and shrewd but ironic or subtle
dry wit
15.
not producing results; unfruitful
a dry interview
16.
boring, dull, or tedious
a dry lecture
17.
harsh; grating
said of a sound
18. Obsolete
without bleeding
a dry death
noun
19. Rare
dryness or drought
20. Rare
dry land
21. Word forms: pluraldrys US, Informal
a prohibitionist
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: dried or ˈdrying
22.
to make or become dry
Idioms:
dry out
dry up
not dry behind the ears
SYNONYMY NOTE: dry suggests a lack or insufficiency of moisture, in either a favorable or unfavorablesense [a dry climate, a dry riverbed]; arid implies an abnormal, intense dryness, esp. with reference to a region or climate,and connotes barrenness or lifelessness [an arid waste]
OPPOSITES: wet, moist
Word origin
ME drie < OE dryge, akin to Ger trocken, Du droog < IE *dhereugh-, fast, firm, solid (< base *dher-, to hold out, hold fast > firm1)
dry in Electrical Engineering
(draɪ)
adjective
(Electrical engineering: Semiconductor and electronic circuitry)
If a soldered electrical joint is dry, it is imperfect because the solder has not adhered to the metal, which reduces itsconductance.
Failure to start up could be caused by dry joints on the line drive transformer pins.
A dry joint is a soldered electrical joint of poor quality, that results in problems suchas an intermittent signal, crackles, distortion, or inconsistent operation.
If a soldered electrical joint is dry, it is imperfect because the solder has not adhered to the metal, which reduces itsconductance.
More idioms containing
dry
be home and dry
leave someone high and dry
be hung out to dry
dry as dust
dry as a bone
bleed someone dry
something is like watching paint dry
keep your powder dry
Examples of 'dry' in a sentence
dry
This week the best chance of dry and bright weather will continue to be over western areas.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The result is that your skin dries out and becomes inflamed and itchy.
The Sun (2016)
Now wrap it in a clean tea towel and squeeze dry again.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Set aside to dry while you make the sauce.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have a great car in the wet and the dry.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The information is fine, if a little dry in how it is presented.
The Sun (2016)
That summer was bone dry and scorching hot, and thousands of people died.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
And where else in Cumbria can you raise a glass of perfectly chilled dry white wine from Transylvania?
The Sun (2016)
Wipe away any excess with a tissue to remove dirt, grime and bacteria, then allow to dry naturally.
The Sun (2016)
I have fine, straight hair, so drying it take h no more than five minutes a day.
The Sun (2016)
You do not hold off just because you have a dry well in one area.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Use it to tame dry hair or apply sparingly when wet for intense nourishment.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Weeks of dry weather have been followed by days of record heat.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Use three times a week on dry skin.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Throw them into a dry wok and toast for a minute over a low heat.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The drying conditions will again suit him.
The Sun (2015)
It is possibly a little less dry.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
You may spot tomatoes drying in the sun or geese and chickens roaming.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Wipe it with a damp cloth and dry with soft kitchen roll.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Summers begin with a hot dry season.
Jilbert, John Geography Basic Facts (1983)
Then cut off the dry white part at the bottom.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
You can leave it to dry naturally with a slight wave.
The Sun (2008)
The horse should then be walked in the sunshine to dry if possible.
Eccles, Lesley Your First Horse - buying, feeding, caring (1989)
The next day the rain dried up and the people flooded the bank again.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Tip into a dry cloth and rub to remove skins.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Then mix in the dried fruit and place in an airtight container until ready to eat.
The Sun (2016)
It left the roof of my mouth feeling very dry.
The Sun (2014)
Wipe the scallops dry and use a pastry brush to smear one side with oil.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
You often got that feeling when you stepped off a boat onto dry land.
Paige, Frances The Glasgow Girls (1994)
You look like a piece of drying meat.
The Sun (2014)
Make the most of the dry weather because wet and windy conditions are expected to return this weekend.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Word lists with
dry
Weather descriptions, Wine terms
In other languages
dry
British English: dry /draɪ/ ADJECTIVE
If something is dry, it has no water or other liquid on it or in it.
...a soft dry cloth.
American English: dry
Arabic: جافّ
Brazilian Portuguese: seco
Chinese: 干燥的
Croatian: suh
Czech: suchý
Danish: tør
Dutch: droog
European Spanish: seco
Finnish: kuiva
French: sec
German: trocken
Greek: στεγνός
Italian: asciutto
Japanese: 乾燥した
Korean: 마른 젖지 않음
Norwegian: tørr
Polish: suchy
European Portuguese: seco
Romanian: uscat
Russian: сухой
Latin American Spanish: seco
Swedish: torr
Thai: แห้ง
Turkish: kuru
Ukrainian: сухий
Vietnamese: khô
British English: dry /draɪ/ VERB
When you dry something, or when it dries, it becomes dry.
Wash and dry the lettuce.
Leave your hair to dry naturally whenever possible.
American English: dry
Arabic: يُجَفِّفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: secar
Chinese: 干燥
Croatian: sušiti
Czech: sušit (se)
Danish: tørre
Dutch: drogen
European Spanish: secar
Finnish: kuivata
French: sécher
German: trocknen
Greek: στεγνώνω
Italian: asciugare
Japanese: 乾燥させる
Korean: 건조시키다
Norwegian: tørke
Polish: wysuszyć
European Portuguese: secar
Romanian: a usca
Russian: сушить
Latin American Spanish: secar extraer la humedad con aire o calor
Swedish: torka
Thai: ทำให้แห้ง
Turkish: kurutmak
Ukrainian: сушити
Vietnamese: sấy khô
All related terms of 'dry'
dry up
If something dries up or if something dries it up , it loses all its moisture and becomes completely dry and shrivelled or hard .
air-dry
to dry by exposure to the air
dry fly
an artificial fly designed and prepared to be floated or skimmed on the surface of the water
dry ice
solid carbon dioxide , which sublimes at –78.5°C: used as a refrigerant , and to create billows of smoke in stage shows
dry law
a law prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages
dry off
If something dries off or if you dry it off , the moisture on its surface disappears or is removed .
dry out
If something dries out or is dried out , it loses all the moisture that was in it and becomes hard .
dry rot
Dry rot is a serious disease of wood . It is caused by a fungus and causes wood to decay.
dry run
If you have a dry run , you practise something to make sure that you are ready to do it properly.
run dry
If a river or well runs dry , it no longer has any water in it. If an oil well runs dry , it no longer produces any oil.
the dry
the dry season
blow-dry
If you blow-dry your hair, you dry it with a hairdryer, often to give it a particular style.
bone dry
If you say that something is bone dry , you are emphasizing that it is very dry indeed.
damp-dry
(of something, such as a garment, that has been drying) nearly dry but still damp
drip-dry
Drip-dry clothes or sheets are made of a fabric that dries free of creases when it is hung up wet.
dry basis
The dry basis is a measure of how much water is in a solid , which is expressed as the weight of water as a percentage of the completely dry solid.
dry bulk
a category of cargo stowed in bulk , consisting of grain , cotton , coal , etc
dry cell
a primary cell in which the electrolyte is in the form of a paste or is treated in some way to prevent it from spilling
dry-clean
When things such as clothes are dry-cleaned , they are cleaned with a liquid chemical rather than with water.
dry dock
A dry dock is a dock from which water can be removed so that ships or boats can be built or repaired .
dry drunk
an alcoholic who is not currently drinking alcohol but is still following an irregular undisciplined lifestyle like that of a drunkard
dry-eyed
If you say that someone is dry-eyed , you mean that although they are in a very sad situation they are not actually crying .
dry goods
Dry goods are cloth , thread, and other things that are sold at a draper's shop .
dry-gulch
to attack and kill from ambush in a deserted place, as a dry gulch
dry hole
(in the oil industry ) a well that is drilled but does not produce oil or gas in commercially worthwhile amounts
dry-hump
to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity
dry kiln
an oven in which cut timber is dried and seasoned
dry land
If you talk about dry land , you are referring to land, in contrast to the sea or the air .
dry milk
dehydrated milk from which about 95 percent of the moisture has been evaporated
dry nurse
a nurse who cares for a child without suckling it
dry plate
a glass photographic plate coated with a sensitive emulsion of silver bromide and silver iodide in gelatin
dry riser
a vertical pipe , not containing water, having connections on different floors of a building for a firefighter's hose to be attached. A fire tender can be connected at the lowest level to make water rise under pressure within the pipe
dry-salt
to preserve (food) by salting and removing moisture
dry-shod
with dry feet or shoes
dry sink
a kitchen cabinet with a shallow basin on top for holding a dishpan, used esp. in the U.S. in the 19th cent.
dry slope
an artificial ski slope used for tuition and practice
dry soil
Soil is the substance on the surface of the earth in which plants grow.
dry spell
a prolonged period of dry weather
dry steam
steam that does not contain droplets of water
dry stock
cattle that are raised for meat
dry-stone
(of a wall) made without mortar
dry wash
a dry stream bed
dry well
a covered pit filled with gravel or loose stone, into which drainage from roofs , areaways, etc. is piped to seep into the surrounding soil
dry wine
Dry wine is wine that does not have a sweet taste .
kiln-dry
to dry in a kiln
pale dry
light in color and not sweet
rough-dry
(of clothes or linen ) dried ready for pressing
smoke-dry
to cure ( fish , meat , etc) in smoke
spin-dry
to dry (clothes, linen , etc) in a spin-dryer
dry battery
an electric battery consisting of two or more dry cells