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dry up

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dry something up

 

1. . to cause moisture to dry away to nothing. Dry this spill up with the hair dryer. Will the hair dryer dry up this mess?

2. to cure a skin rash by the use of medicine that dries. Let's use some of this to try to dry that rash up. This medicine will dry up your rash in a few days.

See also: dry, up

dry up

 

1. Lit. [for something] to dry away to nothing. Finally, the water on the track dried up, and the race was able to continue. When will the fields dry up so we can plant?

2. Fig. [for someone] to be quiet or go away. Dry up, you jerk! I wish you would dry up!

See also: dry, up

dry up

to disappear Many of those jobs dried up in the 1990s. Funding has all but dried up for new research in the field.

See also: dry, up

dry up

1. Gradually become unproductive, as in After two collections of short stories, his ability to write fiction dried up. Also see well's run dry.

2. Stop talking; also, cause to stop talking. For example, Dry up! You've said enough. [Slang; mid-1800s]

See also: dry, up

dry up

v.

1. To become devoid of liquid or moisture: During the drought, the pond dried up.

2. To cause something to become devoid of liquid or moisture: She dried up the wet table with a towel. He spilled some water on his pants and dried it up with a hair dryer.

3. To become unavailable gradually: The money for the grant dried up because of funding problems.

4. To stop talking suddenly: The suspect realized he was talking to the police without his lawyer and quickly dried up.

See also: dry, up