dēˈhīˌdrāt, usu -ād.+V verb
Etymology: de- + hydrate
transitive verb
1.
a. : to remove hydrogen and oxygen from (as a compound) in the proportion in which they form water
dehydrated castor oil
b. : to remove chemically combined water or water of hydration from
dehydrated alums
2. : to remove water or moisture from (as foods or air) : render free from water : dry completely : desiccate — compare dehumidify
3. : to deprive of strength, meaning, or vitality
creeps in like the desert wind and dehydrates the soul — James Jones
: make flat, insipid, or uninspiring
touches nothing that he does not dehydrate — Economist
intransitive verb
: to lose water or the elements of water : become dehydrated
Synonyms: see dry