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to drip-dry

to drip-dry

3.5
To hang clothes up so they dry without using heat
  • phrasal verb
  • /drɪp draɪ/
translation icon : secar al aire
  • After washing my shirts, I always hang them up to drip-dry on the line.

Examples

  • It was a whole new sweetness in the early days to find light white muslin blouses on a see through nylon line drip drying in the bathroom.

  • I think we should drip-dry them, governor, while we got the chance.

  • She prefers to let her clothes drip-dry instead of using the dryer.

  • On sunny days, we often drip-dry our towels outside for a fresh smell.

Synonyms

to dry
vsto drip-dry
570 1.0

To become free of water or wetness

uses hanging while wet without heat or wringing to remove moisture
to dry out
vsto drip-dry
11 2.4

To become dry or make something no longer wet

focuses on hanging wet items to air without heat rather than general moisture removal

How Fast

to drip-dry
3.5

Surface Forms

drip-dry infinitive
drip-dried past
drip-dried past participle
drip-drying present participle
drip-dries third person singular

Morphology

drip-dry = drip + dry (transparent) = drip + dry

The verb meaning 'to dry by hanging so that water drips off' is a straightforward compound verb combining 'drip' and 'dry'.

Etymology

Drip-dry comes from the same parts: drip ('let water fall in drops') and dry ('not wet'), meaning to hang wet clothes so they dry naturally as water drips off. That's why you might drip-dry delicate items instead of using a dryer or heat.