English Reference
Idiom idiom

dry out


To (cause to) sober up; to cease to be drunk; to quit using drugs or alcohol.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

He needs to dry out after that long party.

CONTEXTUAL

The doctor told him he must dry out completely if he wants to improve his health.

COMPLEX

After years of struggling with addiction, he finally checked into a facility to dry out and reclaim his life.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    cut and dried

    Simple, straightforward, clear, or certain.

  2. 02

    dry behind the ears

    Seasoned or experienced; mature, especially with respect to judgment.

  3. 03

    dry eye

    An eye which is not crying, i.e. someone emotionally unmoved.

  4. 04

    Dry January

    A popular health challenge where a person abstains from alcohol for the entire month of January.

  5. 05

    dry one's eyes

    To cease crying.

  6. 06

    dry run

    A practice or rehearsal; especially, one that goes through all the motions of a physical process but without the raw material or workpiece present.

  7. 07

    dry up and blow away

    To go away; to disappear.

  8. 08

    hang out to dry

    To abandon someone who is in need or in danger, especially a colleague or one dependent.

Last updated August 10, 2026