dry up
When something disappears completely or stops being available, like water in a river or ideas in a conversation.
Meanings
For a river, lake, well, or other water source to lose all its water and become completely dry.
"The stream dried up completely during the long summer drought."
For a supply, source of money, ideas, or opportunities to gradually diminish and stop.
"After the initial excitement, interest in the project dried up very quickly."
"The money dried up, and the project was abandoned."
— Common formulation frequently used in financial and business journalism; representative usage.
To suddenly stop talking, especially because of nervousness, forgetting what to say, or being told to stop.
"She dried up completely halfway through her speech when she saw the cameras."
(British English) To dry dishes with a cloth after they have been washed.
"I'll wash if you dry up — we can chat while we do the dishes."
'Dry up' is used intransitively in most senses (the river dried up; the conversation dried up). In British English, it also means to dry dishes after washing. The 'stop talking' sense is often used as a rude command ('Oh, dry up!'). Widely used in both British and American English.
Commonly used with
Forms
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