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

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

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.

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

Dry up!

exclam. Shut up!; Go away and don’t bother me! Aw, dry up! I’ve heard enough.