dryness
/ˈdraɪnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdraɪnəs/ (ame, ipa)
dryness — noun
1. the condition of something having very little or no water or liquid in it
the condition of something having very little or no water or liquid in it
The dryness of the earth left deep cracks running across the field.
Yuki noticed the towel's dryness and realised someone had already used it.
collocation: 'noticed the dryness' — perceiving lack of moisture
After the long summer, the dryness inside the old wooden cupboard had split every door.
Chinwe pressed a finger into the soil to check its dryness before watering her seedlings.
The bread's dryness told Fatima it had been sitting on the counter since yesterday.
- aridity
more formal and scientific; used mainly for climates and soil
- parchedness
suggests extreme dryness, often from heat or sun exposure
- dehydration
used for living things or food that have lost water
2. a situation in which a place receives little or no rain over a stretch of time,
a situation in which a place receives little or no rain over a stretch of time, often causing problems for farming and water supply
The dryness in western Maharashtra forced rice growers to switch to drought-tolerant millet.
Amara remembered the summer of nineteen eighty-three for its record-breaking dryness.
Long periods of dryness in the valley had shrunk the reservoir to half its normal size.
The dryness of the past three seasons left the hillsides brown and cracked.
Seo-jun's village coped with the dryness by digging deeper and deeper wells.
3. the condition of skin or hair when it does not produce enough natural oils, leav
the condition of skin or hair when it does not produce enough natural oils, leaving it feeling rough, tight, or unhealthy
Dmitri treated the dryness on his elbows with a thick cream made from shea butter.
collocation: 'treated the dryness on [body part]'
Frequent swimming in chlorinated water added to the dryness of Javier's hair.
Levent's hands showed signs of dryness after he spent the morning handling cardboard boxes.
The dryness around Naledi's knuckles worsened every winter when the heating came on.
Ingrid chose a gentle soap to avoid adding to the dryness of her face.
用法筆記
Subject is always skin, hair, or a body part — this sense does not apply to objects, weather, or food.
常見錯誤
4. a quality of being dull and unexciting, without emotional warmth or imagination
a quality of being dull and unexciting, without emotional warmth or imagination — used especially about writing, talks, or performances
The dryness of the professor's lecture sent half the students scrolling through their phones.
pattern: 'the dryness of [talk/lecture/speech]'
Fatima struggled through the dryness of the legal contract before signing it.
Critics at the Edinburgh fringe noted the dryness of the opening act but cheered the lively second half.
Tane found the dryness of the committee report hard to push through on a Friday afternoon.
The dryness of the textbook made Soren wonder if the author had ever met a real student.
用法筆記
Often used about written or spoken material. Distinguish from sense 5 (dry humour): sense 4 describes something that is simply boring, while sense 5 describes humour that is clever and intentionally understated.
常見錯誤
5. a style of humour that is clever and restrained, delivered without smiling or ob
a style of humour that is clever and restrained, delivered without smiling or obvious joking signals so that listeners need a moment to realise it is a joke
Naledi's dryness often left new colleagues unsure whether she was joking or completely serious.
collocation: 'left [people] unsure' — a hallmark of dry humour
At the press briefing, the dryness of the mayor's reply took reporters three full seconds to process.
Ingrid loved the dryness of British panel shows, where hosts insult guests without cracking a smile.
Dmitri delivered the entire apology with such dryness that his brother burst out laughing.
The dryness in Yuki's email — thanking the boss for 'another thrilling meeting' — went completely unnoticed.
- deadpan
more about facial expression and delivery style; dryness can exist in writing too
- wryness
similar but often implies a touch of irony or bittersweetness
- understatement
a broader term; dryness is one specific way of understating for comic effect
用法筆記
Often appears in phrases like 'delivered with dryness' or 'the dryness of his tone'. This is a positive quality (clever and subtle), unlike sense 4 which is negative (boring).
常見錯誤
6. the quality in a wine, cider, or similar alcoholic drink of having little or no
the quality in a wine, cider, or similar alcoholic drink of having little or no sweetness on the tongue
Chinwe preferred the dryness of the Sauvignon Blanc over the sweeter Riesling.
collocation: 'preferred the dryness of [wine name]'
The waiter explained that the wine's dryness came from fully fermenting all the grape sugars.
Fatima found the dryness of the hard cider too sharp for her taste.
The dryness of the champagne balanced the richness of the fried appetisers perfectly.
Javier asked for a wine with more dryness after tasting the overly sweet house white.
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively for alcoholic drinks — wine, cider, champagne. Not used for soft drinks, juice, or food.
常見錯誤
7. the state of staying away from alcohol or drugs, especially when someone has pre
the state of staying away from alcohol or drugs, especially when someone has previously struggled with drinking too much
Amara's five years of dryness began with a single decision to pour every bottle down the sink.
collocation: 'years of dryness' — duration of sobriety
The support group celebrated each member's dryness with small tokens and quiet applause.
Seo-jun's doctor told him the dryness had already started to reverse the damage to his liver.
Levent found the first month of dryness the hardest, when social events still revolved around drinks.
The dryness requirement was non-negotiable during Tane's probation period at the recovery centre.
- sobriety
the most direct synonym; slightly more common in everyday use
- abstinence
broader — covers avoiding any substance or behaviour, not just alcohol
- teetotalism
refers to the lifestyle choice of never drinking, not necessarily recovery
用法筆記
Almost always refers to someone who previously had an alcohol problem. Not used for someone who simply chooses not to drink for personal reasons. Common in recovery and medical contexts.