dry

If something is not wet, it might be dry. You can use this word as an adjective or as a verb:

In these sentences, the word "dry" is an adjective:

• The weather has been dry lately.
• Too much dry weather may lead to a drought. (drought = no rain)
• The air becomes very dry during the winter.
• The weather is drier in August than it is in June.
• When bread is left out for too long, it become dry and stale.
• Do you like dried fruit?
• Dried grapes are called raisins.
• Dried and salted meat is called jerky.
• It’s important to keep your feet dry if you live in an area that gets a lot of rain.
• Dry wood burns very quickly.
• There was not a dry eye at the funeral for the woman who died. (not a dry eye = people cried)

The word "dry" can also be used as a verb:

• Vanessa’s hair dries slowly because it’s so long.
• In the summer the ground dries quickly after a rain shower.
• Many people dry their clothes in a dryer.
• We keep our washer and dryer in the basement. (dryer = the machine that dries clothes)
• You can save money by drying your clothes outside on a clothesline. (In this sentence, "drying" is a gerund.)

dryer

There are some other uses for the word "dry."

• The money to fund the education program suddenly dried up. (dried up = disappeared)
• Joe has a very dry wit. (dry wit = humor that is not obvious; intellectual humor)
• Tennessee is a dry state. (dry = alcohol is prohibited with some exceptions)
• You can use dry ice to keep something cold. (dry ice = solid carbon dioxide)
• Expensive clothes that can’t be washed with soap and water need to be taken to a dry cleaner. (dry cleaner = a company that uses chemicals and other methods to clean clothes without water)

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June 5, 2018