dry
dry — verb
1. to become free of water or other liquid, or to cause something to become free of
to become free of water or other liquid, or to cause something to become free of water or other liquid.
Takeshi dried his hands with a clean towel before opening the door.
transitive: dry + object (hands)
Mira dried her wet coat in front of the fireplace after coming inside.
transitive: dry + object (coat)
The fresh paint on the garden bench dried in just three hours.
Hamza dried the kitchen counters with a cloth after washing them.
Ada dried her hair quickly so she would not be late for class.
文法句型
dry + object (clothes/hands/hair)
subject + dry/dries/dried (paint/cloth/ground)
用法筆記
Object is typically something that is wet or damp: clothes, hands, hair, dishes, paint, or surfaces. The intransitive use describes the natural process of moisture disappearing (e.g., 'The ground dried after the rain stopped').
常見錯誤
2. to make plates, knives, forks, glasses, or other washed kitchen items free of wa
to make plates, knives, forks, glasses, or other washed kitchen items free of water using a cloth or by letting the water drip off.
Isabela dried the dishes while her brother washed them.
transitive: dry the dishes
After dinner, Tamar dried all the cutlery and put it back in the drawer.
transitive: dry the cutlery
Hassan dried every glass carefully to avoid leaving water spots on them.
Matthew dried the plates with a soft cloth and stacked them on the shelf.
- wipe
broader meaning — can be used for surfaces other than dishes
文法句型
dry + object (dishes/plates/glasses/cutlery)
用法筆記
Limited to kitchen and tableware contexts. This sense is almost always transitive — you dry the dishes, not *the dishes dry (while meaning this action). For dishes drying on their own, use sense 1 intransitively.
常見錯誤
dry — noun
1. a place or area that is not wet, especially somewhere sheltered from rain or flo
a place or area that is not wet, especially somewhere sheltered from rain or floodwater
After the storm, we moved all the boxes into the dry.
the dry = a dry, sheltered place
The children ran from the pond back to the dry.
Daichi left his wet boots in the shed to keep them in the dry.
Felipe wrapped his camera in a towel and put it in the dry.
- wet
a wet place or area
文法句型
the dry
用法筆記
Usually appears as 'the dry' — a fixed noun phrase referring to a dry location. Rarely used with an article other than 'the' or in plural form.
常見錯誤
dry — adjective
1. describing an object or surface that is not wet and contains no liquid of any ki
describing an object or surface that is not wet and contains no liquid of any kind
Zuri put on dry socks after walking home in the rain.
collocation: dry clothes/socks
Make sure the paint is fully dry before you close the window.
pattern: linking verb + dry
The ground was so dry and hard that nothing would grow there.
Eli wiped the table with a clean dry cloth before setting the plates.
文法句型
dry + noun (clothes/ground/surface)
be/look/feel/keep + dry
用法筆記
Can be used before a noun (a dry towel) or after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'stay' (the shirt is still dry).
常見錯誤
2. relating to weather or a period with little or no rainfall
relating to weather or a period with little or no rainfall
The region has been experiencing unusually dry weather this year.
collocation: dry weather
We were lucky to have a dry day for the school sports event.
The dry season in northern Australia lasts from May to October.
Farmers worried as the dry spring gave way to an even hotter summer.
文法句型
dry + noun (weather/season/day/climate)
be + dry
常見錯誤
3. used after 'go' or 'run' to describe a river, lake, or well that loses all its w
used after 'go' or 'run' to describe a river, lake, or well that loses all its water over time
After two years of drought, the river finally ran dry.
pattern: run dry
Many wells in the village have gone dry this summer.
pattern: go dry
The small stream near Kenji's house runs dry every hot summer.
The reservoir has gone dry twice in the past ten years.
文法句型
go + dry
run + dry
用法筆記
This sense is used only in the patterns 'go dry' or 'run dry'. Do not place 'dry' before a noun for this meaning — 'a dry river' means a river without water (sense 1), not a river whose water is disappearing.
常見錯誤
4. used of hair or skin that lacks the natural oils needed to stay soft and smooth
used of hair or skin that lacks the natural oils needed to stay soft and smooth
Anjali uses a rich moisturiser for her dry skin every night.
collocation: dry skin
The shampoo left Quinn's hair feeling dry and rough.
Cold winter winds can leave your hands feeling dry and cracked.
The doctor gave Selim a special cream for his dry and itchy elbows.
- rough
describes the texture of dry skin rather than the lack of oil itself
文法句型
dry + noun (skin/hair/hands/scalp)
be/feel + dry
5. describing plain bread or similar food eaten without butter, jam, sauce, or any
describing plain bread or similar food eaten without butter, jam, sauce, or any other spread
Selim ate dry bread for breakfast because there was no butter left.
collocation: dry bread
The children refused to eat the dry toast without any jam on it.
On long hikes, they packed nothing but dry crackers and a bottle of water.
Grandma always ate her crackers dry because she did not like cheese.
- plain
a more general word meaning 'without extra ingredients or toppings'
- buttered
with butter spread on it
文法句型
dry + noun (bread/toast/crackers/biscuits)
用法筆記
This sense is most commonly used before a noun (attributive position). It is used for food that is usually eaten with a spread but is served without one.
6. not interesting or exciting, and often too serious or plain in style
not interesting or exciting, and often too serious or plain in style
The lecture on tax law was so dry that half the class fell asleep.
collocation: dry lecture
Zuri found the history textbook too dry to read for more than ten minutes.
Kenji struggled to stay awake during the dry presentation about office rules.
The novel was dry and slow, with no action or exciting dialogue at all.
- interesting
holding your attention
- lively
full of energy and excitement
- engaging
interesting in a way that makes you want to pay attention
文法句型
dry + noun (book/lecture/subject/talk/presentation)
be + dry
常見錯誤
7. A dry place, event, or period of time is one where alcoholic drinks are not avai
A dry place, event, or period of time is one where alcoholic drinks are not available or are not allowed.
The wedding reception was a dry event, so Ramón brought his own sparkling water.
collocation: dry event / dry wedding / dry party
In some regions, there are dry counties where the sale of alcohol is illegal.
Anna's family held a dry party, serving only juice and tea to their guests.
The company picnic was completely dry, which surprised a few of the staff.
- alcohol-free
more neutral; describes the drink itself rather than the event or location
- temperance
formal and historical; describes a movement or policy, not everyday events
- wet
colloquial opposite; a 'wet' county or event allows alcohol
用法筆記
Commonly used to describe public events, religious celebrations, or geographical areas where alcohol is restricted by law or custom.
常見錯誤
8. When a wine, cider, or similar fermented beverage contains hardly any leftover s
When a wine, cider, or similar fermented beverage contains hardly any leftover sugar, people describe its taste as dry rather than sweet.
Joon prefers dry white wine because it pairs well with seafood.
collocation: dry white wine / dry red wine
This bottle of dry sherry adds a rich flavour to the soup.
Élise asked the waiter for a dry rosé to go with the salad.
Nellie tried the wine but found it too sweet and asked for a dryer option.
A dry champagne has a crisp taste with very little sugar.
- brut
used specifically for sparkling wines and champagne; means very dry
- sec
French term; appears on wine labels as slightly sweet, not actually dry
- unsweetened
more general term; can apply to any drink or food
用法筆記
Wine labels use specific terms for sweetness levels: 'brut' (very dry), 'extra dry' (slightly sweet), and 'demi-sec' (sweet). A 'dry' wine is less sweet than 'off-dry' but not as sharp as 'brut'.
常見錯誤
9. Dry humour makes people laugh through clever understatement or irony that is del
Dry humour makes people laugh through clever understatement or irony that is delivered subtly and is not obvious at first.
Ilan's dry humour often goes unnoticed by people who do not know him well.
collocation: dry humour / dry sense of humour
Her dry comments about the terrible meeting made a few colleagues laugh quietly.
The actor is famous for his dry wit and perfectly timed pauses on stage.
You have to listen carefully to catch Mei-Lin's dry sense of humor.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 6 (boring): 'dry humour' is positive — it means clever and entertaining in a subtle way. A 'dry' book or speech is dull and uninteresting.