(drier, or ~er, driest, dries, ~ing, dried)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If something is ~, there is no water or moisture on it or in it.
Clean the metal with a soft ~ cloth...
Pat it ~ with a soft towel...
Once the paint is ~, apply a coat of the red ochre emulsion paint...
? wet, damp
ADJ
~ness
...the parched ~ness of the air.
N-UNCOUNT
2.
When something dries or when you ~ it, it becomes ~.
Leave your hair to ~ naturally whenever possible...
Wash and ~ the lettuce...
VERB: V, V n
3.
When you ~ the dishes after a meal, you wipe the water off the plates, cups, knives, pans, and other things when they have been washed, using a cloth.
Mrs. Madrigal began ~ing dishes.
= wipe
VERB: V n
•
Dry up means the same as ~ . (BRIT)
He got up and stood beside Julie, ~ing up the dishes while she washed.
PHRASAL VERB: V P n (not pron)
4.
If you say that your skin or hair is ~, you mean that it is less oily than, or not as soft as, normal.
Nothing looks worse than ~, cracked lips...
? greasy
ADJ
~ness
Dryness of the skin can also be caused by living in centrally heated homes and offices.
N-UNCOUNT
5.
If the weather or a period of time is ~, there is no rain or there is much less rain than average.
Exceptionally ~ weather over the past year had cut agricultural production...
? wet
ADJ
6.
A ~ place or climate is one that gets very little rainfall.
...a hot, ~ climate where the sun is shining all the time.
= arid
? wet
ADJ: usu ADJ n
~ness
He was advised to spend time in the warmth and ~ness of Italy.
N-UNCOUNT
7.
In the ~ means in a place or at a time that is not damp, wet, or rainy. (mainly BRIT)
Such cars, however, do grip the road well, even in the ~.
? wet
N-SING: the N, usu in N
8.
If a river, lake, or well is ~, it is empty of water, usually because of hot weather and lack of rain.
ADJ
9.
If an oil well is ~, it is no longer producing any oil.
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
10.
If your mouth or throat is ~, it has little or no saliva in it, and so feels very unpleasant, perhaps because you are tense or ill.
His mouth was ~, he needed a drink...
ADJ: usu v-link ADJ
~ness
Symptoms included frequent ~ness in the mouth.
N-UNCOUNT: usu with supp
11.
If someone has ~ eyes, there are no tears in their eyes; often used with negatives or in contexts where you are expressing surprise that they are not crying.
There were few ~ eyes in the house when I finished...
? moist
ADJ
12.
If a country, state, or city is ~, it has laws or rules which forbid anyone to drink, sell, or buy alcoholic drink. (INFORMAL)
Gujurat has been a totally ~ state for the past thirty years.
= teetotal
ADJ
13.
If you say that someone is sucking something ~ or milking it ~, you are criticizing them for taking all the good things from it until there is nothing left.
He’s just milking the company ~.
ADJ: v n ADJ disapproval
14.
Dry humour is very amusing, but in a subtle and clever way.
Fulton has retained his ~ humour...
ADJ: usu ADJ n approval
drily
‘That is surprising.’—‘Hardly,’ I said drily.
ADV: ADV with v, ADV adj
~ness
Her writing has a wry ~ness.
N-UNCOUNT
15.
If you describe something such as a book, play, or activity as ~, you mean that it is dull and uninteresting.
...~, academic phrases.
ADJ disapproval
16.
Dry bread or toast is plain and not covered with butter or jam.
For breakfast, they had ~ bread and tea.
ADJ: ADJ n
17.
Dry sherry or wine does not have a sweet taste.
...a glass of chilled, ~ white wine.
? sweet
ADJ
18.
high and ~: see high
home and ~: see home