| wet and dry bulb thermometer | An instrument for measuring the tension of the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere, being essentially a wet and dry bulb hygrometer. Origin: Gr. Psychros cold: cf. F. Psychrometre. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| dry | 1. Free from moisture; having little humidity or none; arid; not wet or moist; deficient in the natural or normal supply of moisture, as rain or fluid of any kind; said especially: Of the weather: Free from rain or mist. "The weather, we agreed, was too dry for the season." (Addison) Of vegetable matter: Free from juices or sap; not succulent; not green; as, dry wood or hay. Of animals: Not giving milk; as, the cow is dry. Of persons: Thirsty; needing drink. "Give the dry fool drink." (Shak) Of the eyes: Not shedding tears. "Not a dry eye was to be seen in the assembly. <medicine> " (Prescott) Of certain morbid conditions, in which there is entire or comparative absence of moisture; as, dry gangrene; dry catarrh. 2. Destitute of that which interests or amuses; barren; unembellished; jejune; plain. "These epistles will become less dry, more susceptible of ornament." (Pope) 3. Characterised by a quality somewhat severe, grave, or hard; hence, sharp; keen; shrewd; quaint; as, a dry tone or manner; dry wit. "He was rather a dry, shrewd kind of body." (W. Irving) 4. Exhibiting a sharp, frigid preciseness of execution, or the want of a delicate contour in form, and of easy transition in colouring. <medicine> Dry area See Cupping. Dry dock. See Dock. Dry fat. See Dry vat (below). Dry light, pure unobstructed light; hence, a clear, impartial view. "The scientific man must keep his feelings under stern control, lest they obtrude into his researches, and colour the dry light in which alone science desires to see its objects." (J. C. Shairp) Dry masonry. See Masonry. Dry measure, a system of measures of volume for dry or coarse articles, by the bushel, peck, etc. Dry pile, a rent reserved by deed, without a clause of distress. Dry rot, a decay of timber, reducing its fibres to the condition of a dry powdery dust, often accompanied by the presence of a peculiar fungus (Merulius lacrymans), which is sometimes considered the cause of the decay; but it is more probable that the real cause is the decomposition of the wood itself. Called also sap rot, and, in the United States, powder post. Dry stove, a hothouse adapted to preserving the plants of arid climates. Dry vat, a vat, basket, or other receptacle for dry articles. Dry wine, that in which the saccharine matter and fermentation were so exactly balanced, that they have wholly neutralized each other, and no sweetness is perceptible; opposed to sweet wine, in which the saccharine matter is in excess. Origin: OE. Drue, druye, drie, AS. Dryge; akin to LG. Droge, D. Droog, OHG. Trucchan, G. Trocken, Icel. Draugr a dry log. Cf. Drought, Drouth, 3d Drug Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| dry abscess | The remains of an abscess after the pus is absorbed. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry amputation | Amputation in which, by means of a tourniquet, the escape of blood from the cut surfaces is slight. Synonym: dry amputation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry beriberi | Paraplegic beriberi, affecting chiefly the peripheral nerves; its clinical pattern is predominantly that of a polyneuropathy without associated congestive failure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry bronchiectasis | Bronchiectasis characterised by lack of productive cough and by occasional haemoptysis. Synonym: bronchiectasia sicca. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry cup | A cupping glass formerly applied to the unbroken skin to draw blood to the area but without removing it. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry cutaneous leishmaniasis | A form of Old World cutaneous leishmaniasis, usually with a prolonged incubation period and confined to urban areas. Synonym: chronic cutaneous leishmaniasis, dry cutaneous leishmaniasis, urban cutaneous leishmaniasis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry distillation | Submission of an organic substance to heat in a closed vessel so that oxygen is absent and combustion prevented, with the objective of effecting its decomposition with release of volatile constituents and the formation of new substances. Synonym: destructive distillation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry dressing | Dry gauze or other material applied to a wound. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry drowning | Drowning in an individual whose laryngeal reflexes are brisk, resulting in spasm that prevents inhalation of water; may be associated with the highest recovery rate. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dry eye | A clinical condition that results from the inadequate production of tears. (27 Sep 1997) |
| dry eye syndrome | Drying and inflammation of the conjunctiva as a result of insufficient lacrimal secretion. When found in association with xerostomia and polyarthritis, it is called sjogren's syndrome. (12 Dec 1998) |
| dry eye syndromes | Corneal and conjunctival dryness due to deficient tear production, predominantly in menopausal and post-menopausal women. Filamentary keratitis or erosion of the conjunctival and corneal epithelium may be caused by these disorders. Sensation of the presence of a foreign body in the eye and burning of the eyes may occur. (12 Dec 1998) |
| dry gangrene | A form of gangrene in which the involved part is dry and shriveled. Synonym: cold gangrene, mummification necrosis, mummification. (05 Mar 2000) |