— dryable , adj. — dryly , adv. — dryness , n.
/druy/ , adj., drier, driest , v. , dried, drying , n. , pl. drys, dries .
adj.
1. free from moisture or excess moisture; not moist; not wet: a dry towel; dry air.
2. having or characterized by little or no rain: a dry climate; the dry season.
3. characterized by absence, deficiency, or failure of natural or ordinary moisture.
4. not under, in, or on water: It was good to be on dry land.
5. not now containing or yielding water or other liquid; depleted or empty of liquid: The well is dry.
6. not yielding milk: a dry cow.
7. free from tears: dry eyes.
8. drained or evaporated away: a dry river.
9. desiring drink; thirsty: He was so dry he could hardly speak.
10. causing thirst: dry work.
11. served or eaten without butter, jam, etc.: dry toast.
12. (of cooked food) lacking enough moisture or juice to be satisfying or succulent.
13. (of bread and bakery products) stale.
14. of or pertaining to nonliquid substances or commodities: dry measure; dry provisions.
15. (of wines) not sweet.
16. (of a cocktail)
a. made with dry vermouth: a dry Manhattan.
b. made with relatively little dry vermouth: a dry martini.
17. characterized by or favoring prohibition of the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors for use in beverages: a dry state.
18. (of British biscuits) not sweet.
19. plain; bald; unadorned: dry facts.
20. dull; uninteresting: a dry subject.
21. expressed in a straight-faced, matter-of-fact way: dry humor.
22. indifferent; cold; unemotional: a dry answer.
23. unproductive: The greatest of artists have dry years.
24. (of lumber) fully seasoned.
25. Building Trades.
a. (of masonry construction) built without fresh mortar or cement.
b. (of a wall, ceiling, etc., in an interior) finished without the use of fresh plaster.
26. Ceram.
a. unglazed.
b. insufficiently glazed.
27. Art. hard and formal in outline, or lacking mellowness and warmth in color.
28. not dry behind the ears , immature; unsophisticated: Adult responsibilities were forced on him, although he was still not dry behind the ears.
v.t.
29. to make dry; free from moisture: to dry the dishes.
v.i.
30. to become dry; lose moisture.
31. dry out ,
a. to make or become completely dry.
b. to undergo or cause to undergo detoxification from consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol.
32. dry up ,
a. to make or become completely dry.
b. to cease to exist; evaporate.
c. Informal. to stop talking.
d. (in acting) to forget one's lines or part.
n.
33. a prohibitionist.
34. a dry place, area, or region.
[ bef. 900; ME drie, OE dryge; akin to D droog, G trocken; see DROUGHT ]
Syn. 1. DRY, ARID both mean without moisture. DRY is the general word indicating absence of water or freedom from moisture: a dry well; dry clothes. ARID suggests great or intense dryness in a region or climate, esp. such as results in bareness or in barrenness: arid tracts of desert. 20. tedious, barren, boring, tiresome, jejune. 29. See evaporate. 30. dehydrate.
Ant. 1. wet. 20. interesting.