dry up

Definitions

1. 1

   To become dry (often of weather)

   To become dry (often of weather); to lose water.

   • I'll go shopping when it dries up.
   • Last summer the lake completely dried up.
2. 2

   To cause to become dry.

   • The heatwave dried up all the rivers.
3. 3

   To manually dry dishes and utensils.

   • I'll dry up if you wash up.
4. ›+ 4 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To deprive someone of (something vital).

      • The bankruptcy rumor dried up his sales.
   2. 5

      To gradually decrease and eventually cease.

      • When our money dried up, we had to get proper jobs.
      • After the stock market crash, the easy financing dried up.
      • This love has dried up and stayed behind
   3. 6

      To stop talking because one has forgotten what one was going to say.

      • This surprised me so much that I dried up for a moment.
   4. 7

      To stop talking or drop a topic.

      • Oh, dry up, you old fuddy-duddy!
      • "Oh, dry up,' said Arnold morosely.

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