# Dewey

/ˈdui/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dewey
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. driving under the influence

noun · CEFR C1 · American English · Humorous · Slang

a slang way to say 'DUI' — a charge for driving after drinking too much alcohol.

For teachers: a humorous phonetic rendering of the initialism DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

- He lost his license after he got a dewey last summer.
- The officer processed the paperwork for the dewey, noting that the driver had significantly exceeded the legal blood-alcohol limit.

Usage: Usually used with the verb 'get' or 'have'.

### 2. covered in dew

adjective · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Literary

an old-fashioned way of spelling 'dewy' — covered in small drops of water in the morning.

For teachers: an obsolete orthographic variant of 'dewy', describing a surface covered with atmospheric moisture.

- The dewey grass felt cold against her bare feet.
- The poet described the dewey meadows of his youth, using the archaic spelling to evoke a sense of historical nostalgia.

Usage: Found almost exclusively in historical texts or poetry.

## Examples

- My brother is such a dewey; he colors his pencils.
- She is a total dewey, so please wipe your feet before entering her spotless kitchen.
- The office manager, a self-proclaimed dewey, spent the morning realigning the staplers on every desk to ensure they faced the same direction.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.