Bone dry

usgb
adjective

Extremely or completely dry.

After a month without rain, the river bed was bone dry.
Visual representation of "bone dry" - Extremely or completely dry

Often appears as...

  • river is bone dry
  • ground is bone dry
Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "bone dry"
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Literal Use

Originally refers to the actual dryness of bones, implying something is as dry as it can possibly be.

Illustration for Literal Use
The soil in the garden was bone dry, cracking underfoot.
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Exaggeration

Often used for emphasis to exaggerate the dryness of something, not always literally bone-level dry.

Illustration for Exaggeration
His hands were bone dry after he wiped them thoroughly with a towel.
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Negative Connotation

Usually implies a negative situation, like drought or extreme thirst, which may be undesirable.

Illustration for Negative Connotation
The heatwave left the town's reservoirs bone dry.
Visual representation of the word "Bone dry"

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