Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Lacking moisture or liquid; not wet: Describes something that has no water or other liquid on or in it.
   • Without rain or humidity: Describes a climate, period, or area characterized by a lack of precipitation.
   • Not producing or containing liquid: Describes something that is free from secretions, such as a cough without mucus or a cow that is not lactating.
   • Plain, without adornment or emotion: Describes a manner, style, or fact that is straightforward, unembellished, or lacking emotional warmth.
   • Dull or uninteresting: Describes something, like a book or lecture, that is boring or lifeless.
   • Prohibiting alcohol: Describes a region or law where the production and sale of alcoholic beverages are forbidden.
   • Not sweet: Describes wine or other alcoholic drinks that have little or no residual sugar.
   • Characterized by restraint or irony: Describes humor or wit that is subtle, sarcastic, or understated.

2. Noun:

   • A person who advocates for prohibition: A reformer who opposes the consumption of intoxicating beverages.
   • A dry condition or place: A state of dryness or an arid area.

3. Verb:

   • To become free of moisture: To lose wetness and become dry.
   • To remove moisture from something: To make an object dry by using heat, air, or friction.

Examples

• Adjective:

  • Please use a dry towel. (The towel lacks moisture.)
  • We hiked through a dry riverbed. (The riverbed has no water in it.)
  • She gave a dry, factual account of the events. (Her account was unemotional and plain.)
  • I prefer a dry white wine. (The wine is not sweet.)
  • He has a very dry sense of humor. (His humor is subtly ironic.)

• Noun:

  • The debate pitted the wets against the drys. (The debate was between those for and against alcohol prohibition.)

• Verb:

  • Hang the shirt outside to dry. (Let the shirt lose its moisture.)
  • Dry your hair before you go outside. (Remove the moisture from your hair.)

Advanced Usage

• "Dry run": A rehearsal or practice attempt of a procedure before the real event.

  • Let's do a dry run of the presentation to check the timing.

• "Dry spell": A period of little or no rain, or figuratively, a period of little success or activity.

  • The region is suffering from a long dry spell. (Literal)
  • The sales team is hoping to end its dry spell. (Figurative)

• "Dry as a bone": Completely dry.

  • After a week in the sun, the ground was as dry as a bone.

Variants and Related Words

• Dryness (n): The state or quality of being dry.

  • The dryness of the air can cause skin irritation.

• Dryly / Drily (adv): In a dry, matter-of-fact, or ironically humorous manner.

  • "I suppose that's one way to look at it," he said dryly.

• Dry-clean (v): To clean clothes with chemical solvents instead of water.

  • This suit must be dry-cleaned.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Arid, parched, dehydrated, barren, tedious, bland, sarcastic, teetotal.
• Verb: Dehydrate, parch, desiccate, towel, wipe.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Dry off: To make oneself or something dry, usually after being wet.

  • We dried off in the sun after swimming.

• Dry out:

  • To become completely dry.

    • The paint needs to dry out completely.
  • To undergo treatment to stop addiction to alcohol or drugs.

    • He checked into a clinic to dry out.

• Dry up:

  • To have all the water disappear.

    • The well dried up during the drought.
  • To stop talking (often used as an imperative).

    • Oh, dry up! I've heard enough.

Related Idioms

• Keep your powder dry: To be prepared for trouble or to wait for the right moment to act.

  • We have the plan; now we just need to keep our powder dry.

• High and dry: In a difficult situation without help or resources.

  • The canceled flight left hundreds of passengers high and dry.

• Dry humor: A style of humor that is understated, ironic, and delivered with a seemingly serious demeanor.

  • British comedy is often known for its dry humor.

Noun

1. a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages

Adjective

1. practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages; I happen to be teetotal"
   • he's been dry for ten years
   • no thank you
2. lacking warmth or emotional involvement
   • a dry greeting
   • a dry reading of the lines
   • a dry critique
3. having a large proportion of strong liquor
   • a very dry martini is almost straight gin
4. (of food) eaten without a spread or sauce or other garnish
   • dry toast
   • dry meat
5. having no adornment or coloration
   • dry facts
   • rattled off the facts in a dry mechanical manner
6. unproductive especially of the expected results
   • a dry run
   • a mind dry of new ideas
7. used of solid substances in contrast with liquid ones
   • dry weight
8. 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
9. not shedding tears
   • dry sobs
   • with dry eyes
10. without a mucous or watery discharge; a small child with a dry nose"
    • a dry cough
    • that rare thing in the wintertime
11. (of liquor) having a low residual sugar content because of decomposition of sugar during fermentation
    • a dry white burgundy
    • a dry Bordeaux
12. not producing milk
    • a dry cow
13. opposed to or prohibiting the production and sale of alcoholic beverages
    • the dry vote led by preachers and bootleggers
    • a dry state
14. lacking moisture or volatile components
    • dry paint
15. 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
16. 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

Verb

1. become dry or drier
   • The laundry dries in the sun
2. remove the moisture from and make dry
   • dry clothes
   • dry hair