Dry definition | Dictionary.com

Synonyms of Dry

anhydrous, arid, bone-dry, moistureless, sere, waterless, droughty, rainless, thirsty, grating, hoarse, jarring

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9 dictionary results for: Dry

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

dry

[drahy] Pronunciation Key adjective, dri·er, dri·est, verb, dried, dry·ing, noun, plural drys, dries.

–adjective

1.	free from moisture or excess moisture; not moist; not wet: a dry towel; dry air.

2.	having or characterized by little or no rain: a dry climate; the dry season.

3.	characterized by absence, deficiency, or failure of natural or ordinary moisture.

4.	not under, in, or on water: It was good to be on dry land.

5.	not now containing or yielding water or other liquid; depleted or empty of liquid: The well is dry.

6.	not yielding milk: a dry cow.

7.	free from tears: dry eyes.

8.	drained or evaporated away: a dry river.

9.	desiring drink; thirsty: He was so dry he could hardly speak.

10.	causing thirst: dry work.

11.	served or eaten without butter, jam, etc.: dry toast.

12.	(of cooked food) lacking enough moisture or juice to be satisfying or succulent.

13.	(of bread and bakery products) stale.

14.	of or pertaining to nonliquid substances or commodities: dry measure; dry provisions.

15.	(of wines) not sweet.

16.

(of a cocktail)

a.	made with dry vermouth: a dry Manhattan.

b.	made with relatively little dry vermouth: a dry martini.

17.	characterized by or favoring prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors for use in beverages: a dry state.

18.	(of British biscuits) not sweet.

19.	plain; bald; unadorned: dry facts.

20.	dull; uninteresting: a dry subject.

21.	expressed in a straight-faced, matter-of-fact way: dry humor.

22.	indifferent; cold; unemotional: a dry answer.

23.	unproductive: The greatest of artists have dry years.

24.	(of lumber) fully seasoned.

25.

Building Trades.

a.	(of masonry construction) built without fresh mortar or cement.

b.	(of a wall, ceiling, etc., in an interior) finished without the use of fresh plaster.

26.

Ceramics.

unglazed.

b.	insufficiently glazed.

27.	Art. hard and formal in outline, or lacking mellowness and warmth in color.

–verb (used with object)

28.	to make dry; free from moisture: to dry the dishes.

–verb (used without object)

29.	to become dry; lose moisture.

–noun

30.	a prohibitionist.

31.	a dry place, area, or region.

—Verb phrases

32.

dry out,

a.	to make or become completely dry.

b.	to undergo or cause to undergo detoxification from consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol.

33.

dry up,

a.	to make or become completely dry.

b.	to cease to exist; evaporate.

c.	Informal. to stop talking.

d.	(in acting) to forget one's lines or part.

—Idiom

34.	not dry behind the ears, immature; unsophisticated: Adult responsibilities were forced on him, although he was still not dry behind the ears.

[Origin: bef. 900; ME drie, OE drȳge; akin to D droog, G trocken; see drought

]

—Related forms

dry·a·ble, adjective

dryly, adverb

dryness, noun

—Synonyms 1. Dry, arid both mean without moisture. Dry is the general word indicating absence of water or freedom from moisture: a dry well; dry clothes. Arid suggests great or intense dryness in a region or climate, esp. such as results in bareness or in barrenness: arid tracts of desert. 20. tedious, barren, boring, tiresome, jejune. 28. See evaporate. 29. dehydrate.

—Antonyms 1. wet. 20. interesting.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

dry (drī) Pronunciation Key
adj. dri·er (drī'ər) or dry·er, dri·est (drī'ĭst) or dry·est

Free from liquid or moisture: changed to dry clothes.
Having or characterized by little or no rain: a dry climate.
Marked by the absence of natural or normal moisture: a dry month.
Not under water: dry land.
Having all the water or liquid drained away, evaporated, or exhausted: a dry river.
No longer yielding liquid, especially milk: a dry cow.
Lacking a mucous or watery discharge: a dry cough.
Not shedding tears: dry sobs.
Needing or desiring drink; thirsty: a dry mouth.
No longer wet: The paint is dry.
Of or relating to solid rather than liquid substances or commodities: dry weight.
Not sweet as a result of the decomposition of sugar during fermentation. Used of wines.
Having a large proportion of strong liquor to other ingredients: a dry martini.
Eaten or served without butter, gravy, or other garnish: dry toast; dry meat.
Having no adornment or coloration; plain: the dry facts.
Devoid of bias or personal concern: presented a dry critique.
1. Lacking tenderness, warmth, or involvement; severe: The actor gave a dry reading of the lines.
2. Matter-of-fact or indifferent in manner: rattled off the facts in a dry mechanical tone.
Wearisome; dull: a dry lecture filled with trivial details.
Humorous or sarcastic in a shrewd, impersonal way: dry wit.
Prohibiting or opposed to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages: a dry county.
Unproductive of the expected results: a mind dry of new ideas.
Constructed without mortar or cement: dry masonry.

v. dried (drīd), dry·ing, dries (drīz)

v. tr.

To remove the moisture from; make dry: laundry dried by the sun.
To preserve (meat or other foods, for example) by extracting the moisture.

v. intr.
To become dry: The sheets dried quickly in the sun.

n. pl. drys Informal
A prohibitionist.

Phrasal Verb(s):
dry out Informal
To undergo a cure for alcoholism.
dry up

To make or become unproductive, especially to do so gradually.
Informal To stop talking.

[Middle English drie, from Old English drȳge.]

dry'ly, dri'ly adv., dry'ness n.

Synonyms: These verbs mean to remove the moisture from: drying the dishes; added water to eggs that were dehydrated; a factory where coconut meat is shredded and desiccated; land parched by the sun. See Also Synonyms at sour.
Antonym: moisten

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
dry

O.E. dryge (adj.), drygan (v.), from P.Gmc. *draugiz. Of humor, 1542; of places prohibiting alcoholic drink, 1870 (but dry feast, one at which no liquor is served, is from 1483). Of the two n. spellings, drier is the older (1528), while dryer (1874) was first used of machines. Dry goods (1708) were those measured out in dry, not liquid, measure. Dry land (that not under the sea) is from c.1225. Dry out in the drug addiction sense is from 1967. Dry up "stop talking" is 1853.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

dry
adjective
1.	free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet; "dry land"; "dry clothes"; "a dry climate"; "dry splintery boards"; "a dry river bed"; "the paint is dry" [ant: wet]
2.	humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit"
3.	lacking moisture or volatile components; "dry paint" [ant: wet]
4.	opposed to or prohibiting the production and sale of alcoholic beverages; "the dry vote led by preachers and bootleggers"; "a dry state" [ant: wet]
5.	not producing milk; "a dry cow" [ant: lactating]
6.	(of liquor) having a low residual sugar content because of decomposition of sugar during fermentation; "a dry white burgundy"; "a dry Bordeaux" [ant: sweet]
7.	without a mucous or watery discharge; "a dry cough"; "that rare thing in the wintertime; a small child with a dry nose" [ant: phlegmy]
8.	not shedding tears; "dry sobs"; "with dry eyes"
9.	lacking interest or stimulation; dull and lifeless; "a dry book"; "a dry lecture filled with trivial details"; "dull and juiceless as only book knowledge can be when it is unrelated to...life"- John Mason Brown
10.	used of solid substances in contrast with liquid ones; "dry weight"
11.	unproductive especially of the expected results; "a dry run"; "a mind dry of new ideas"
12.	having no adornment or coloration; "dry facts"; "rattled off the facts in a dry mechanical manner"
13.	(of food) eaten without a spread or sauce or other garnish; "dry toast"; "dry meat"
14.	having a large proportion of strong liquor; "a very dry martini is almost straight gin"
15.	lacking warmth or emotional involvement; "a dry greeting"; "a dry reading of the lines"; "a dry critique"
16.	practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages; "he's been dry for ten years"; "no thank you; I happen to be teetotal"
noun
1.	a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
verb
1.	remove the moisture from and make dry; "dry clothes"; "dry hair" [ant: wet]
2.	become dry or drier; "The laundry dries in the sun"

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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

dry

In addition to the idioms beginning with dry, also see cut and dried; hang out to dry; high and dry; keep one's powder dry; well's run dry.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

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U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Dry Branch, GA Zip code(s): 31020

Dry Ridge, KY (city, FIPS 22582) Location: 38.68218 N, 84.59643 W
Population (1990): 1601 (607 housing units)
Area: 11.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 41035

Dry Prong, LA (village, FIPS 21765) Location: 31.57865 N, 92.52935 W
Population (1990): 380 (171 housing units)
Area: 3.5 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 71423

Dry Fork, VA Zip code(s): 24549

Dry Creek, WV Zip code(s): 25062

Dry Creek, LA Zip code(s): 70637

Dry Creek, KY Zip code(s): 41862

Dry Run, PA Zip code(s): 17220

Dry Creek, AK (CDP, FIPS 20020) Location: 63.65340 N, 144.66530 W
Population (1990): 106 (27 housing units)
Area: 12.2 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

Dry Run, OH (CDP, FIPS 22674) Location: 39.10430 N, 84.33066 W
Population (1990): 5389 (1701 housing units)
Area: 12.3 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dry

Dry\, a. [Compar. Drier; superl. Driest.] [OE. dru?e, druye, drie, AS. dryge; akin to LG. dr["o]ge, D. droog, OHG. trucchan, G. trocken, Icel. draugr a dry log. Cf. Drought, Drouth, 3d Drug.]

1. Free from moisture; having little humidity or none; arid; not wet or moist; deficient in the natural or normal supply of moisture, as rain or fluid of any kind; -- said especially: (a) Of the weather: Free from rain or mist.

The weather, we agreed, was too dry for the season. --Addison. (b) Of vegetable matter: Free from juices or sap; not succulent; not green; as, dry wood or hay. (c) Of animals: Not giving milk; as, the cow is dry. (d) Of persons: Thirsty; needing drink.

Give the dry fool drink. -- Shak (e) Of the eyes: Not shedding tears.

Not a dry eye was to be seen in the assembly. -- Prescott. (f) (Med.) Of certain morbid conditions, in which there is entire or comparative absence of moisture; as, dry gangrene; dry catarrh.

2. Destitute of that which interests or amuses; barren; unembellished; jejune; plain.

These epistles will become less dry, more susceptible of ornament. --Pope.

3. Characterized by a quality somewhat severe, grave, or hard; hence, sharp; keen; shrewd; quaint; as, a dry tone or manner; dry wit.

He was rather a dry, shrewd kind of body. --W. Irving.

4. (Fine Arts) Exhibiting a sharp, frigid preciseness of execution, or the want of a delicate contour in form, and of easy transition in coloring.

Dry area (Arch.), a small open space reserved outside the foundation of a building to guard it from damp.

Dry blow. (a) (Med.) A blow which inflicts no wound, and causes no effusion of blood. (b) A quick, sharp blow.

Dry bone (Min.), Smithsonite, or carbonate of zinc; -- a miner's term.

Dry castor (Zo["o]l.) a kind of beaver; -- called also parchment beaver.

Dry cupping. (Med.) See under Cupping.

Dry dock. See under Dock.

Dry fat. See Dry vat (below).

Dry light, pure unobstructed light; hence, a clear, impartial view. --Bacon.

The scientific man must keep his feelings under stern control, lest they obtrude into his researches, and color the dry light in which alone science desires to see its objects. -- J. C. Shairp.

Dry masonry. See Masonry.

Dry measure, a system of measures of volume for dry or coarse articles, by the bushel, peck, etc.

Dry pile (Physics), a form of the Voltaic pile, constructed without the use of a liquid, affording a feeble current, and chiefly useful in the construction of electroscopes of great delicacy; -- called also Zamboni's , from the names of the two earliest constructors of it.

{Dry pipe (Steam Engine), a pipe which conducts dry steam from a boiler.

Dry plate (Photog.), a glass plate having a dry coating sensitive to light, upon which photographic negatives or pictures can be made, without moistening.

Dry-plate process, the process of photographing with dry plates.

Dry point. (Fine Arts) (a) An engraving made with the needle instead of the burin, in which the work is done nearly as in etching, but is finished without the use acid. (b) A print from such an engraving, usually upon paper. (c) Hence: The needle with which such an engraving is made.

Dry rent (Eng. Law), a rent reserved by deed, without a clause of distress. --Bouvier.

Dry rot, a decay of timber, reducing its fibers to the condition of a dry powdery dust, often accompanied by the presence of a peculiar fungus (Merulius lacrymans), which is sometimes considered the cause of the decay; but it is more probable that the real cause is the decomposition of the wood itself. --D. C. Eaton. Called also sap rot, and, in the United States, powder post. --Hebert.

Dry stove, a hothouse adapted to preserving the plants of arid climates. --Brande & C.

Dry vat, a vat, basket, or other receptacle for dry articles.

Dry wine, that in which the saccharine matter and fermentation were so exactly balanced, that they have wholly neutralized each other, and no sweetness is perceptible; -- opposed to sweet wine, in which the saccharine matter is in excess.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dry

Dry\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dried; p. pr. & vb. n. Drying.] [AS. drygan; cf. drugian to grow dry. See Dry, a.] To make dry; to free from water, or from moisture of any kind, and by any means; to exsiccate; as, to dry the eyes; to dry one's tears; the wind dries the earth; to dry a wet cloth; to dry hay.

To dry up. (a) To scorch or parch with thirst; to deprive utterly of water; to consume.

Their honorable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. -- Is. v. 13.

The water of the sea, which formerly covered it, was in time exhaled and dried up by the sun. --Woodward. (b) To make to cease, as a stream of talk.

Their sources of revenue were dried up. -- Jowett (Thucyd. )

To dry, or dry up, a cow, to cause a cow to cease secreting milk. --Tylor.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Dry

Dry\, v. i. 1. To grow dry; to become free from wetness, moisture, or juice; as, the road dries rapidly.

2. To evaporate wholly; to be exhaled; -- said of moisture, or a liquid; -- sometimes with up; as, the stream dries, or dries up.

3. To shrivel or wither; to lose vitality.

And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. --I Kings xiii. 4.

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