dry

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages

   he's been dry for ten years

2. 2
   adj

   lacking warmth or emotional involvement

   a dry greeting

3. 3
   adj

   having a large proportion of strong liquor

   a very dry martini is almost straight gin

4. 4
   adj

   without a mucous or watery discharge

   a dry cough

5. 5
   adj

   humorously sarcastic or mocking

   dry humor

6. 6
   adj

   (of food) eaten without a spread or sauce or other garnish

   dry toast

7. 7
   adj

   having no adornment or coloration

   dry facts

8. 8
   adj

   unproductive especially of the expected results

   a dry run

Etymology

Adjective and noun from Middle English drye, dryge, drüȝe, from Old English drȳġe (“dry; parched, withered”), from Proto-West Germanic *drūgī, *draugī, from Proto-Germanic *drūgiz, *draugiz (“dry, hard”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerǵʰ- (“to strengthen; become hard”), from *dʰer- (“to hold, support”). The verb derives from Middle English drien, from Old English drȳġan (“to dry”), from Proto-West Germanic *drūgijan, from Proto-Germanic *drūgiz (“hard, desiccated, dry”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰerǵʰ- (“strong, hard, solid”). cognates and related terms Cognate with Scots dry, drey (“dry”),…