- dry
- adjective (drier, driest)1》 free from moisture or liquid.↘not yielding water, oil, or milk: a dry well.↘without grease or other moisturizer or lubricator: dry hair.2》 (of information, writing, etc.) dully factual.↘unemotional or undemonstrative.3》 (of humour) subtle and expressed in a matter-of-fact way.4》 prohibiting the sale or consumption of alcoholic drink.↘no longer drinking alcohol.5》 (of wine) not sweet.verb (dries, drying, dried)1》 become or make dry.↘[usu. as adjective dried] preserve by evaporating the moisture from: dried milk.2》 (dry up) (of a supply or flow) decrease and stop.3》 theatrical slang forget one's lines.↘(dry up) informal cease talking.4》 (dry out) informal overcome alcoholism.noun (plural dries or drys)1》 (the dry) chiefly Austral. the dry season.↘a tract of waterless country.2》 Brit. a Conservative politician (especially in the 1980s) in favour of strict monetarist policies.3》 US a person in favour of the prohibition of alcohol.Phrasescome up dry N. Amer. informal be unsuccessful.Derivativesdryish adjectivedryness nounOriginOE drȳge (adjective), drȳgan (v.), of Gmc origin.
English new terms dictionary. 2014.