dry
dry / drī/ • adj. (dri·er, dri·est) 1. free from moisture or liquid; not wet or moist: the jacket kept me warm and dry | he wiped it dry with his shirt. ∎ having lost all wetness or moisture over a period of time: dry paint. ∎ for use without liquid: the conversion of dry latrines into flush toilets. ∎ with little or no rainfall or humidity: the West Coast has had two dry winters in a row. ∎ (of a river, lake, or stream) empty of water as a result of evaporation and lack of rainfall: the river is always dry at this time of year. ∎ (of a source) not yielding a supply of water or oil: a dry well. ∎ thirsty or thirst-making: working in the hot sun is making me dry| dry work. ∎ (of a cow or other domestic animal) having stopped producing milk. ∎ without grease or other moisturizer or lubricator: cream conditioners for dry hair| his throat was dry and sore. ∎ (of bread or toast) without butter or other spreads: only dry bread and water.2. fig. bare or lacking adornment: the dry facts. ∎ unexciting; dull: by current tastes the text is dry. ∎ unemotional, undemonstrative, or impassive: Ralph gave me a dry, silent wave. ∎ (of a joke or sense of humor) subtle, expressed in a matter-of-fact way, and having the appearance of being unconscious or unintentional: he delighted his friends with a dry, covert sense of humor.3. prohibiting the sale or consumption of alcoholic drink: the country is strictly dry, in accordance with Islamic law. ∎ (of a person) no longer addicted to or drinking alcohol: I heard much talk about how sobriety was more than staying straight or dry.4. (of an alcoholic drink) not sweet: a dry, medium-bodied red wine.• v. (dries, dried) [intr.] 1. become dry: waiting for the paint to dry | come in out of the rain and dry off| do not let the soil dry out | pools are left as the rivers dry up. ∎ [tr.] cause to become dry: they had washed and dried their hair. ∎ [tr.] wipe tears from (the eyes): she dried her eyes and blew her nose. ∎ wipe dishes dry with a cloth after they have been washed. ∎ [tr.] [usu. as adj.] (dried) preserve by allowing or encouraging evaporation of moisture from: dried flowers.2. theatrical slang forget one's lines: a colleague of mine once dried in the middle of a scene.• n. (pl. dries or drys) a person in favor of the prohibition of alcohol.PHRASES: come up dry be unsuccessful: experiments have so far come up dry. (as) dry as a bone extremely dry. (as) dry as dust extremely dry. ∎ extremely dull; lacking emotion, expression, or interest: what the students learned was as dry as dust.there wasn't a dry eye (in the house) (with reference to a play, film, or similar event) everyone in the audience was moved to tears.PHRASAL VERBS: dry out inf. (of an alcoholic) abstain from alcoholic drink, esp. as part of a detoxification program: he intends to dry out and get his life back together again.dry up1. inf. cease talking: then he dried up, and Phil couldn't get another word out of him.2. (of something perceived as a continuous flow or source) decrease and stop: his commissions began to dry up.DERIVATIVES: dry·ish adj.dry·ness n.
dry
Hence dry vb. OE. drȳġan.