adj., v., & n.
adj. (drier; driest) 1 free from moisture, not wet, esp.: a with any moisture having evaporated, drained, or been wiped away (the clothes are not dry yet). b (of the eyes) free from tears. c (of a climate etc.) with insufficient rainfall; not rainy (a dry spell). d (of a river, well, etc.) dried up; not yielding water. e (of a liquid) having disappeared by evaporation etc. f not connected with or for use without moisture (dry shampoo). g (of a shave) with an electric razor. 2 (of wine etc.) not sweet (dry sherry). 3 a meagre, plain, or bare (dry facts). b uninteresting; dull (dry as dust). 4 (of a sense of humour, a joke, etc.) subtle, ironic, and quietly expressed; not obvious. 5 (of a country, of legislation, etc.) prohibiting the sale of alcoholic drink. 6 (of toast, bread, etc.) without butter, margarine, etc. 7 (of provisions, groceries, etc.) solid, not liquid (dry goods). 8 impassive, unsympathetic; hard; cold. 9 (of a cow etc.) not yielding milk. 10 colloq. thirsty or thirst-making (feel dry; this is dry work). 11 Polit. colloq. of or being a political 'dry'.
v. (dries, dried) 1 tr. & intr. make or become dry by wiping, evaporation, draining, etc. 2 tr. (usu. as dried adj.) preserve (food etc.) by removing the moisture (dried egg; dried fruit; dried flowers). 3 intr. (often foll. by up) Theatr. colloq. forget one's lines. 4 tr. & intr. (often foll. by off) cease or cause (a cow etc.) to cease yielding milk.
n. (pl. dries) 1 the process or an instance of drying. 2 sl. a politician, esp. a Conservative, who advocates individual responsibility, free trade, and economic stringency, and opposes high government spending. 3 a (prec. by the) esp. Austral. colloq. the dry season. b Austral. a desert area, waterless country. 4 a dry ginger ale. b dry wine, sherry, etc. dry battery Electr. an electric battery consisting of dry cells. dry cell Electr. a cell in which the electrolyte is absorbed in a solid and cannot be spilled. dry-clean clean (clothes etc.) with organic solvents without using water. dry-cleaner a firm that specializes in dry-cleaning. dry cough a cough not producing phlegm. dry-cure cure (meat etc.) without pickling in liquid. dry dock an enclosure for the building or repairing of ships, from which water can be pumped out. dry-fly adj. (of fishing) with an artificial fly floating on the surface.
v.intr. (-flies, -flied) fish by such a method. dry ice solid carbon dioxide. dry land land as opposed to the sea, a river, etc. dry measure a measure of capacity for dry goods. dry milk US dried milk. dry-nurse a nurse for young children, not required to breast-feed. dry out 1 become fully dry. 2 (of a drug addict, alcoholic, etc.) undergo treatment to cure addiction. dry-plate Photog. a photographic plate with sensitized film hard and dry for convenience of keeping, developing at leisure, etc. dry-point 1 a needle for engraving on a bare copper plate without acid. 2 an engraving produced with this. dry rot 1 a decayed state of wood when not ventilated, caused by certain fungi. 2 these fungi. dry run colloq. a rehearsal. dry-salt = dry-cure. dry-salter a dealer in dyes, gums, drugs, oils, pickles, tinned meats, etc. dry-shod without wetting the shoes. dry up 1 make utterly dry. 2 dry dishes. 3 (of moisture) disappear utterly. 4 (of a well etc.) cease to yield water. 5 colloq. (esp. in imper.) cease talking. go dry enact legislation for the prohibition of alcohol. dryish adj. dryness n.
[ OE dryge, drygan, rel. to MLG dröge, MDu. droghe, f. Gmc ]