dry-measure

A farmer uses a dry-measure to scoop grain from a large sack.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A system of units for measuring the volume of dry commodities: "dry-measure" refers to a system of volumetric units used to measure dry goods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables, as opposed to liquid measure. In the United States, this system includes units like the bushel, peck, quart, and pint, but these units differ in volume from their liquid counterparts.
   • A specific unit or container for dry goods: It can also denote a container or a unit of measure used in this system.

Usage Examples

• (The farmer used the dry-measure system, which is a set of volumetric units for dry goods like grain.)
• (She purchased a specific quantity of apples measured using the dry-measure system.)
• (The recipe used a unit from the dry-measure system, which differs from the liquid measure quart.)

Advanced Usage

• "dry-measure" as a compound noun: In specialized contexts, "dry-measure" can be used attributively, as in "dry-measure standards" or "dry-measure conversion."
  • The United States maintains official dry-measure standards at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. (The government keeps precise definitions for the dry-measure system.)

Variants and Related Words

• Dry (adj): lacking moisture; not wet. Note: This is a separate word, not a direct variant of "dry-measure."
  • The dry climate preserved the grain well. (The climate was without moisture.)
• Measure (n/v): a unit or system of measuring; to determine the size, amount, or degree of something.
  • We need a standard measure for volume. (A fixed unit for determining quantity.)

Synonyms

• Dry volume: the volume of dry goods measured in specific units.
• Volume measure for dry goods: a descriptive phrase for the system.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms directly using "dry-measure." However, the phrase "measure for measure" (retaliation in kind) is unrelated but uses the word "measure."
  • He received measure for measure for his deceit. (He was treated in the same way he treated others.)

Notes for Language Learners

• Distinction from liquid measure: In the U.S. customary system, a dry-measure quart equals 1.101 liters, while a liquid quart equals 0.946 liters. This difference is crucial in cooking and commerce.
• Common units: bushel (32 dry quarts), peck (8 dry quarts), dry quart, dry pint (0.5 dry quart). These are rarely used outside of agriculture and historical contexts.