drying
drying — adjective
1. still losing moisture and moving toward a dry state.
still losing moisture and moving toward a dry state.
Please avoid the drying paint on the classroom door.
drying + noun (paint in progress)
The shed was filled with drying herbs hanging from the ceiling.
drying + noun (food/plant process)
Weeks of heat exposed the cracked floor of the drying riverbed.
Marta folded the drying shirts only after the evening breeze softened.
- airing
broader and weaker; not all airing removes much moisture
- curing
more specific for materials such as paint or concrete
- dehydrating
stronger and more technical
文法句型
drying + noun (paint/clothes/flowers/riverbed)
用法筆記
Usually appears before a noun that is partway through the process, such as paint, clothes, flowers, or mud. Distinguish from verb sense 1, which describes the action directly in a clause.
常見錯誤
2. taking moisture away so that skin, hair, lips, air, or another thing feels less
taking moisture away so that skin, hair, lips, air, or another thing feels less moist.
The drying wind stung our faces during the long walk home.
drying + weather noun
This face wash is too drying on my skin in winter.
be too drying on + body part
Hospital air felt drying on Roya's lips after the operation.
The stylist warned that bleach can have a drying effect on curls.
- dehydrating
stronger and more technical
- harsh
broader; can include irritation beyond moisture loss
- hydrating
used especially for skin or hair products
文法句型
drying + noun (wind/soap/effect)
be drying on + body part
用法筆記
Often used for wind, air, soap, medicine, or beauty products. The focus is on the moisture being taken away, not on something simply already being dry.
常見錯誤
drying — noun
1. the process in which something loses moisture and becomes dry.
the process in which something loses moisture and becomes dry.
The drying of the clay takes two days before firing begins.
the drying of + material
During drying, the sliced apples must stay out of direct rain.
during drying (process noun)
The guide explains the slow drying of tea leaves after picking.
Poor airflow can spoil the drying of laundry in small apartments.
- drying-out
informal and narrower
- dehydration
more technical and often stronger
文法句型
the drying of + noun
during drying
用法筆記
Often appears in technical, cooking, craft, or household contexts. It names the process itself, not the finished condition.
常見錯誤
drying — verb
1. to lose moisture, or to remove moisture from something so that it becomes dry.
to lose moisture, or to remove moisture from something so that it becomes dry.
The towels are drying on the balcony in the afternoon sun.
intransitive: towels are drying
Femi is drying orange slices for a winter cake display.
transitive: drying + food noun
Paint was drying on the fence when the storm returned.
The farmer is drying grain before storing it in the barn.
By noon, the flooded path was drying under clear blue skies.
文法句型
be drying + noun
noun + is drying
用法筆記
This sense can be transitive or intransitive. Intransitive subjects are often clothes, paint, roads, or land; transitive objects are often food, hair, or surfaces.
常見錯誤
2. to wipe washed plates, glasses, forks, and similar kitchen items until no water
to wipe washed plates, glasses, forks, and similar kitchen items until no water remains on them.
After dinner, Élise was drying plates while her brother washed the pans.
drying plates after washing
The waiter kept drying glasses with a cloth behind the bar.
drying glasses with a cloth
Please finish drying the forks before you stack them away.
The twins were drying bowls when the phone rang upstairs.
- wash
the usual kitchen step before drying
文法句型
be drying + dishes
drying + plates/glasses/cutlery
用法筆記
The object is usually washed dishes, glasses, or cutlery, and a towel or cloth is often mentioned. Distinguish from verb sense 1, which is broader and not limited to kitchen items.