Bone dry
adjective
Extremely or completely dry.
After a month without rain, the river bed was bone dry.
Often appears as...
- river is bone dry
- ground is bone dry
adjective
Completely out of something.
We loved the new drink so much that we drank the bar bone dry.
Often appears as...
- bar is bone dry
- fridge is bone dry
Usage tips
Colloquial
adjective
Extremely or completely dry.
After a month without rain, the river bed was bone dry.
Often appears as...
- river is bone dry
- ground is bone dry
adjective
Completely out of something.
We loved the new drink so much that we drank the bar bone dry.
Often appears as...
- bar is bone dry
- fridge is bone dry
Usage tips
Colloquial
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Use
Originally refers to the actual dryness of bones, implying something is as dry as it can possibly be.
The soil in the garden was bone dry, cracking underfoot.
Pro Tip 2/3Exaggeration
Often used for emphasis to exaggerate the dryness of something, not always literally bone-level dry.
His hands were bone dry after he wiped them thoroughly with a towel.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Usually implies a negative situation, like drought or extreme thirst, which may be undesirable.
The heatwave left the town's reservoirs bone dry.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Use
Originally refers to the actual dryness of bones, implying something is as dry as it can possibly be.
The soil in the garden was bone dry, cracking underfoot.
Pro Tip 2/3Exaggeration
Often used for emphasis to exaggerate the dryness of something, not always literally bone-level dry.
His hands were bone dry after he wiped them thoroughly with a towel.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Usually implies a negative situation, like drought or extreme thirst, which may be undesirable.
The heatwave left the town's reservoirs bone dry.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Use
Originally refers to the actual dryness of bones, implying something is as dry as it can possibly be.
The soil in the garden was bone dry, cracking underfoot.
Pro Tip 2/3Exaggeration
Often used for emphasis to exaggerate the dryness of something, not always literally bone-level dry.
His hands were bone dry after he wiped them thoroughly with a towel.
Pro Tip 3/3Negative Connotation
Usually implies a negative situation, like drought or extreme thirst, which may be undesirable.
The heatwave left the town's reservoirs bone dry.
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