dry measure
- noun
- Specialized
:
medida seca
- Farmers often refer to dry measure units when discussing grain harvests.
Examples
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A dry measure is often used for grains.
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A peck is a commonly used dry measure for fruits such as apples.
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The old recipe called for a dry measure of one bushel of wheat.
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The recipe calls for a dry measure of flour.
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A bushel is a common dry measure used for measuring grains like wheat.
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Farmers often sell apples by the dry measure of pecks and bushels.
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In cooking, recipes may call for a dry measure of flour, which is different from liquid measurements.
Synonyms
107
1.0
An amount equal to what a wide glass container holds
30
6.6
A measure for dry goods like grain or fruit
A unit for measuring dry goods like grain or fruit
A unit used in the United States to measure dry things like grain
A US measure for dry goods equal to two dry pints, about 1.1 liters
A Spanish unit used to measure dry grain that varies by region
A measure used in old France for things like grain or wine
A unit used to measure how much a container can hold, like a liter or gallon
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'dry' (not wet) modifying 'measure' (a unit/amount), signaling a measurement used for dry goods rather than liquids. This adjective+noun pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the MWE's meaning (even if the term is somewhat technical).
Etymology
Dry measure comes from old markets where people used baskets, sacks, or bushels to hold grain and fruit. Because these items don't flow like liquids, sellers used special boxes and rules to count them, so dry and measure came to mean 'a unit for dry goods such as grain or fruit'.