drying

UK: /ˈdraɪɪŋ/ US: (drī′ing)

From the verb dry: (⇒ conjugate)

drying is: ⓘ

v pres p

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dry•ing  (drī′ing), adj. 

1. causing dryness:
   a drying breeze.
2. designed to become or capable of becoming dry and hard on exposure to air.

• 1350–1400; Middle English; see dry, -ing²

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

drying / ˈdraɪɪŋ/ noun

1. the processing of timber until it has a moisture content suitable for the purposes for which it is to be used

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dry /draɪ/   adj., dri•er, dri•est, v., dried, dry•ing. 
adj. 

1. free from moisture;
   not wet:
   dry branches.
2. having or characterized by little or no rain:
   This dry weather is bad for the crops.
3. not under, in, or on water:
   [before a noun] to be on dry land.
4. not now containing liquid;
   empty:
   a dry river.
5. not yielding milk:
   a dry cow.
6. free from tears:
   dry eyes.
7. desiring drink;
   thirsty:
   [be + ~] I'm so dry; let's stop in the diner for a soda.
8. causing thirst:
   dry work.
9. Food served or eaten without butter, jam, etc.:
   dry toast.
10. Food (of bread, etc.) stale:
    The bread was dry.
11. of or relating to nonliquid substances bought or sold:
    [before a noun] A peck is a unit of dry measure.
12. Wine (esp. of wines) not sweet:
    a dry, white wine.
13. characterized by or prohibiting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic liquors:
    At that time Iowa was a dry state.
14. free from the use of alcoholic drink;
    sober:
    The alcoholic has been dry for several years now.
15. dull;
    uninteresting:
    Is dictionary making a dry subject?
16. expressed in a straight-faced, matter-of-fact way:
    dry humor.
17. unproductive:
    Even the greatest artists sometimes have dry years.

v. 

18. to (cause to) become dry or to lose moisture: [~ + object]
    She dried her hair with a towel.
    [no object]
    The paint will dry in two hours. Leave the dishes to dry.
19. dry out, [no object]
    • to undergo treatment for drug or alcohol abuse.
20. dry up:
    • to cease to exist;
      evaporate: [no object]
      The river bed dried up.
      [~ + up + object]
      The heat had dried up the lake.
      [~ + object + up]
      The heat had dried it up.
    • [no object] [Informal.] to stop talking:
      Oh, dry up and leave us alone!

dry•ly, adv. 
dry•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dry  (drī), adj., dri•er, dri•est, v., dried, dry•ing, 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. Animal Husbandry, Food 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. Food served or eaten without butter, jam, etc.:
    dry toast.
12. Food (of cooked food) lacking enough moisture or juice to be satisfying or succulent.
13. Food (of bread and bakery products) stale.
14. of or pertaining to nonliquid substances or commodities:
    dry measure; dry provisions.
15. Wine (of wines) not sweet.
16. Wine (of a cocktail)
    • made with dry vermouth:
      a dry Manhattan.
    • 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. Food (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. Building (of lumber) fully seasoned.
25. Building
    • (of masonry construction) built without fresh mortar or cement.
    • (of a wall, ceiling, etc., in an interior) finished without the use of fresh plaster.
26. Ceramics
    • unglazed.
    • insufficiently glazed.
27. Fine Art [Art.] hard and formal in outline, or lacking mellowness and warmth in color.
28. Idioms 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:
    • to make or become completely dry.
    • to undergo or cause to undergo detoxification from consumption of excessive amounts of alcohol.
32. dry up:
    • to make or become completely dry.
    • to cease to exist;
      evaporate.
    • [Informal.] to stop talking.
    • (in acting) to forget one's lines or part.

n. 

33. a prohibitionist.
34. a dry place, area, or region.

• bef. 900; Middle English drie, Old English drȳge; akin to Dutch droog, German trocken; see drought

dry′a•ble, adj. 
dry′ly, adv. 
dry′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 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.

Antonyms

• 1. wet.
• 20. interesting.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

dry / draɪ/ adjective (drier, driest, dryer, dryest)

1. lacking moisture; not damp or wet
2. having little or no rainfall
3. not in or under water: dry land
4. having the water drained away or evaporated: a dry river
5. not providing milk: a dry cow
6. (of the eyes) free from tears
7. in need of a drink; thirsty
8. causing thirst: dry work
9. eaten without butter, jam, etc: dry toast
10. (of a wine, cider, etc) not sweet
11. not accompanied by or producing a mucous or watery discharge: a dry cough
12. consisting of solid as opposed to liquid substances or commodities
13. without adornment; plain: dry facts
14. lacking interest or stimulation: a dry book
15. lacking warmth or emotion; cold: a dry greeting
16. (of wit or humour) shrewd and keen in an impersonal, sarcastic, or laconic way
17. opposed to or prohibiting the sale of alcoholic liquor for human consumption: a dry area
18. (of a soldered electrical joint) imperfect because the solder has not adhered to the metal, thus reducing conductance

verb (dries, drying, dried)

1. when intr, often followed by off: to make or become dry or free from moisture
2. (transitive) to preserve (meat, vegetables, fruit, etc) by removing the moisture

noun (drys, dries)

1. a Conservative politician who is considered to be a hard-liner
   Compare wet10
2. the dry ⇒ the dry season

Etymology: Old English drӯge; related to Old High German truckan, Old Norse draugr dry wood

ˈdryness noun