dry spell

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English

Etymology

Originated around 1885–1890, from dry +‎ spell (“a period of time”). Compare cold spell.

Pronunciation

  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

dry spell (plural dry spells)

  1. A drawn-out period where the weather has been dry, for an abnormally long time; shorter and not as severe as a drought.
    • 1989, Christopher Ward, David Tyson (lyrics and music), “Black Velvet”, performed by Alannah Myles:
      Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell / Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high
    • 1996, M.G. Vassangi, The Book Of Secrets, page 74:
      The rains, it seemed, were over, and a dry spell was upon them […]
    • 2003, Denise Gess, William Lutz, Firestorm at Peshtigo, page 42:
      The only place unaffected by the persistent dry spell was the city of Milwaukee […]
  2. (figurative) A period or time where there is little activity, productivity, low income etc.
    • 1970, Gabriel H. L. Jacobs, When children think, page 31:
      The first type is of course the dry spell when you can't think of any ideas. The second type is when kids just have a dry spell in writing.
  3. (figurative) A period of time without sexual intercourse.
    • 2007, Elina Furman, Kiss and Run, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 87:
      There's no telling when the serial dating bug can strike. You may be just getting out of a serious relationship, marriage, or long dry spell. But one thing's for certain: when it does it can become a really hard habit to break.

See also

  • petrichor (“the scent of rain on earth after a dry spell”)
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