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dry

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The definition of dry is something without moisture, water or liquid.

(adjective)

An example of dry is chapped lips, dry lips.
An example of dry is dishes that have been sitting in a dish drainer overnight, dry dishes.

See dry in Webster's New World College Dictionary

not watery; not under water: dry land
having no moisture; not wet or damp
not shedding tears
lacking rain or water: a dry summer
having lost liquid or moisture; specif.,
1. arid; withered
2. empty of water or other liquid
3. dehydrated
needing water or drink; thirsty
not yielding milk: a dry cow
without butter, jam, etc. on it: dry toast
solid; not liquid
not sweet; unsweetened; sec: dry wine
having no mucous or watery discharge: a dry cough
☆ prohibiting or opposed to the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages: a dry town
not colored by emotion, prejudice, etc.; plain; matter-of-fact: dry facts
clever and shrewd but ironic or subtle: dry wit
not producing results; unfruitful: a dry interview
boring, dull, or tedious: a dry lecture
harsh; grating: said of a sound
Obsolete without bleeding: a dry death

Origin: ME drie < OE dryge, akin to Ger trocken, Du droog < IE *dhereugh-, fast, firm, solid (< base *dher-, to hold out, hold fast > firm)

noun

Rare dryness or drought
Rare dry land
pl. drys☆ Informal a prohibitionist

transitive verb, intransitive verb dried, drying

to make or become dry

See dry in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective dri·er (drīˈər) or dry·er, dri·est (drīˈĭst) or dry·est

Free from liquid or moisture: changed to dry clothes.
Having or characterized by little or no rain: a dry climate.
Marked by the absence of natural or normal moisture: a dry month.
Not under water: dry land.
Having all the water or liquid drained away, evaporated, or exhausted: a dry river.
No longer yielding liquid, especially milk: a dry cow.
Lacking a mucous or watery discharge: a dry cough.
Not shedding tears: dry sobs.
Needing or desiring drink; thirsty: a dry mouth.
No longer wet: The paint is dry.
Of or relating to solid rather than liquid substances or commodities: dry weight.
Not sweet as a result of the decomposition of sugar during fermentation. Used of wines.
Having a large proportion of strong liquor to other ingredients: a dry martini.
Eaten or served without butter, gravy, or other garnish: dry toast; dry meat.
Having no adornment or coloration; plain: the dry facts.
Devoid of bias or personal concern: presented a dry critique.
a. Lacking tenderness, warmth, or involvement; severe: The actor gave a dry reading of the lines.
b. Matter-of-fact or indifferent in manner: rattled off the facts in a dry mechanical tone.
Wearisome; dull: a dry lecture filled with trivial details.
Humorous or sarcastic in a shrewd, impersonal way: dry wit.
Prohibiting or opposed to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages: a dry county.
21. Unproductive of the expected results: a mind dry of new ideas.
22. Constructed without mortar or cement: dry masonry.

verb dried dried (drīd), dry·ing, dries (drīz)

verb, transitive

To remove the moisture from; make dry: laundry dried by the sun.
To preserve (meat or other foods, for example) by extracting the moisture.

verb, intransitive

To become dry: The sheets dried quickly in the sun.

noun pl. drys drys
Informal

A prohibitionist.

Phrasal Verbs: dry out Informal To undergo a cure for alcoholism. dry up To make or become unproductive, especially to do so gradually. Informal To stop talking.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English drie

Origin: , from Old English drȳge

Related Forms: