dry up phrasal verb ( see also ↑ dry )
1 . COME TO AN END if a supply of something dries up, it comes to an end and no more is available:
Foreign investment may dry up.
The work soon dried up.
2 . RIVER/LAKE ETC if something such as a river dries up, the water in it disappears:
Across central and west Texas, waterholes and wells have dried up.
dry something ↔ up
Taking too much water for household use is drying up the river.
3 . STOP TALKING if someone dries up, they stop talking:
‘It was -’ She dried up again.
Everyone became embarrassed and conversation dried up.
4 . PLATES/DISHES ETC British English to rub plates, dishes etc dry with a cloth after they have been washed
dry something ↔ up
I’ll just dry up these mugs and we can have a coffee.