cut and dried

Prearranged, unchangeable, and dull. When it appears before a noun, the phrase is usually hyphenated. The coursework is cut and dried, so don't even think about coming to me in pursuit of extra credit. There are no cut-and-dried solutions here. We need to come up with something. The agenda for these monthly meetings is cut and dried, so you can't just waltz in there and air your grievances.

See also: and, cut, dried

dried-fish woman

rude slang A young woman who is single and disinterested in being in a romantic or sexual relationship. The phrase is a calque (loan translation) from the Japanese term 「干物女」 (himono onna). I don't care if people think I'm a dried-fish woman—I refuse to date just because society thinks I should. I heard she's a dried-fish woman, so don't even bother flirting with her. A: "Mother, I can't worry about dating while I have so much going on at work." B: "You sound like a dried-fish woman! Don't you want kids someday?"

dried-up

1. Describing something that has lost all moisture. Do you think it's time to throw out these dried-up flowers? Ew, look at that dried-up worm! It must have gotten stuck on that slab of hot pavement. Yes, honey, you're going to end up with dried-up markers if you never put the caps back on them.

2. slang Old and undesirable. Oh, I'm just a dried-up hag—who would want to marry me now? I never thought I would find love for the first time in middle age. I figured I was dried-up by now. My kids have encouraged me to date again, but I just don't know—I feel like a dried-up old widow anymore.

dry (one's) eyes

To stop crying; to wipe away tears from one's eyes. Come, come, dry your eyes; I'll be back before you even know it! I know he's upset, but he needs to dry his eyes before coming out to meet our guests. I dried my eyes, took a deep breath, stepped out of the bathroom stall, and went to get the bad news from the boss.

dry off

To remove wetness from oneself, someone, or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "off." Here's a towel so you can dry yourself off when you get out of the pool. Can you answer the phone while I dry off my hands? Ugh, I can't believe I forgot a towel. How am I supposed to dry off when I'm done in the shower?

dry out

1. To lose moisture Hang your wet clothes outside on the clothesline so that they dry out. This heat sure is drying out the soil—and my poor flowers. Staring at screens all day will dry out your eyes.

2. To act to remove wetness from something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "out." Dry your wet clothes out by hanging them on the clothesline outside. A: "How are we going to dry out the carpet?" B: "You start by opening the windows, and I'll see if I can find a fan or two." A: "How am I going to dry out my socks before I have to leave for the train?" B: "Use a blow dryer?"

3. slang To stop feeling the effects of alcohol; to become sober again. Make sure he stays here and dries out before attempting to drive home. I knew it would take a while for her to dry out, so I just let her crash at my place last night. Clearly, Tommy hasn't dried out yet if he's picking fights with people at the bar.

4. slang To cause someone to stop feeling the effects of alcohol and become sober again. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "out." I'm trying to dry him out before he drives home, but it seems like the cup of coffee I gave him has had no impact. Can someone dry this obnoxious clown out? Otherwise, I'm calling the cops and having them pick him up! We've got to dry her out before Mom and Dad get home. They're gonna freak!

5. slang To receive treatment for alcoholism. Is it true that Uncle Tom is drying out at a rehab facility for a while? I knew after my second DUI that it was past time for me to dry out. I dried out five years ago, and it was the best decision I ever made. I doubt my kids would even be talking to me if I were still drinking.

See also: dry, out

dry up

1. To lose moisture. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "up." Hey, if you don't want that marker to dry up, put the cap back on it! Sheesh, if this extreme heat keeps up, it'll fully dry up my soil. If that ointment is flaking out of the tube, yeah, I'd say it's dried up!

2. To remove wetness from something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "up." Let me get you a towel so you can dry up that spill. The weather has been so wacky today. First, torrential rain and flash floods, and now sunshine that's dried everything up. I think we can dry up the rug if we open all the windows and bring in a fan.

3. To heal an inflammatory skin condition, such as acne or a rash. A noun or pronoun can be used between "dry" and "up." Don't worry, the doctor prescribed something that should dry this rash up straight away. That cream dried up my acne practically overnight. My prom is on Friday, so please tell me you have something that will dry up this monster zit by then!

4. Of an inflammatory skin condition, to become healed or relieved. If the rash doesn't dry up in a few weeks, you should see a dermatologist. Isn't there a natural remedy that I can use to dry up my hives? Calamine lotion will definitely help your poison ivy to dry up.

5. To go away or leave. Oh, dry up and give me some peace and quiet! Dry up, little brother—I've got things to do. Nobody even wants you here, so just dry up, OK?

6. To stop talking; to be quiet. Typically used as an imperative. Oh, dry up already! I'm sick of hearing you complain. Wow, that girl talks incessantly. Will she ever dry up? Would you dry up? You're being so annoying, droning on like that.

See also: dry, up

cut and dried

fixed; determined beforehand; usual and uninteresting. (Can be hyphenated before nominals.) I find your writing quite boring. It's too cut and dried. The lecture was, as usual, cut and dried.

See also: and, cut, dried

dry out

1. Lit. to become dry. The clothes finally dried out in the wet weather.

2. Fig. to allow alcohol and the effects of drunkenness, especially if habitual, to dissipate from one's body. He required about three days to dry out completely. He dried out in three days.

See also: dry, out

dry someone or something off

to remove the moisture from someone or something. Please dry your feet off before coming in. Dry off your feet before you come in here!

dry someone out

Fig. to cause someone to become sober; to cause someone to stop drinking alcohol to excess. If the doctor at the clinic can't dry him out, no one can. The hospital will dry out Mary and start treatment.

See also: dry, out

dry something out

to make something become dry. Dry this out and put it on immediately. Dry out your jacket in the clothes dryer.

See also: dry, out

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

cut and dried

Ready-made, predetermined and not changeable. For example, The procedure is not quite cut and dried-there's definitely room for improvisation. This expression originally alluded to herbs for sale in a shop, as opposed to fresh, growing herbs. [c. 1900]

See also: and, cut, dried

dry out

Undergo a cure for alcoholism, as in After years of constant drinking, he realized that he needed to dry out. [1960s]

See also: dry, out

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

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cut and dried

COMMON If a situation or issue is cut and dried, it is clear and definite. Now, this situation is not as cut and dried as it may seem. The link between stress and heart attacks is by no means cut and dried, although most people feel intuitively that it exists. There are no cut-and-dried answers to the problem. What appeared to be a cut-and-dried issue, may in fact be a little more complex. Note: One explanation for this expression is that it refers to wood which has been cut and dried and is ready to use. Alternatively, it may refer to herbs that have been harvested and dried, to be used for cooking and medicine.

See also: and, cut, dried

cut and dried

(of a situation, issue, or ideas) completely settled or decided.

A distinction was originally made between the cut and dried herbs sold in herbalists' shops and growing herbs.

See also: and, cut, dried

cut and ˈdried

(of matters, arrangements or opinions) completely decided and unlikely to be changed: By the end of the evening their plans for carrying out the robbery were cut and dried, with nothing left to chance. ♢ The police thought they had a cut-and-dried case.

See also: and, cut, dried

dry out

1. To become free of liquid or moisture: If you sit in the sun, your wet hair will dry out.

2. To remove the moisture from something: Dry out your clothes on the line. We'll dry the rags out on the lawn.

3. Slang To become sober: I need a few hours to dry out before I go out again.

4. Slang To make someone become sober: The crisp morning air has dried me out a bit.

5. Slang To undergo a cure for alcoholism: My uncle went to a clinic to dry out.

See also: dry, out

dry up

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

cut and dried

Commonplace, routine, hackneyed; settled beforehand. The term dates from the early eighteenth century, and there is some disagreement as to its origin. Most authorities believe it referred to timber, which customarily is cut to standard sizes and dried before it is used. One writer, however, believes it refers to the wares of English herbalists, which were cut and then dried before being sold. Jonathan Swift used the phrase figuratively for boring speech (Betty the Grisette, 1730): “Set of phrases, cut and dry, evermore thy tongue supply.”

See also: and, cut, dried

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