the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary; "there is a special cleaner for these surfaces"; "the cloth had a pattern of red dots on a white surface"
a superficial aspect as opposed to the real nature of something; "it was not what it appeared to be on the surface"
the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object; "they skimmed over the surface of the water"; "a brush small enough to clean every dental surface"; "the sun has no distinct surface"
the outermost level of the land or sea; "earthquakes originate far below the surface"; "three quarters of the Earth's surface is covered by water"
a small elite group; "it was designed for the discriminating few"
an indefinite but relatively small number; "they bought a case of beer and drank a few"
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `a'; a small but indefinite number; "a few weeks ago"; "a few more wagons than usual"; "an invalid's pleasures are few and far between"; "few roses were still blooming"; "few women have led troops in battle"
keep in one's mind; "I cannot retain so much information"
secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"
allow to remain in a place or position; "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"
hold within; "This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug for a long time"
fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit
hold on tightly or tenaciously; "hang on to your father's hands"; "The child clung to his mother's apron"
come or be in close contact with; stick or hold together and resist separation; "The dress clings to her body"; "The label stuck to the box"; "The sushi rice grains cohere"
to remain emotionally or intellectually attached; "He clings to the idea that she might still love him."
a reformer who opposes the use of intoxicating beverages
practicing complete abstinence from alcoholic beverages; "he's been dry for ten years"; "no thank you; I happen to be teetotal"
lacking warmth or emotional involvement; "a dry greeting"; "a dry reading of the lines"; "a dry critique"
having a large proportion of strong liquor; "a very dry martini is almost straight gin"
without a mucous or watery discharge; "a dry cough"; "that rare thing in the wintertime; a small child with a dry nose"
humorously sarcastic or mocking; "dry humor"; "an ironic remark often conveys an intended meaning obliquely"; "an ironic novel"; "an ironical smile"; "with a wry Scottish wit"
(of food) eaten without a spread or sauce or other garnish; "dry toast"; "dry meat"
having no adornment or coloration; "dry facts"; "rattled off the facts in a dry mechanical manner"
unproductive especially of the expected results; "a dry run"; "a mind dry of new ideas"
used of solid substances in contrast with liquid ones; "dry weight"
lacking interest or stimulation; dull and lifeless; "a dry book"; "a dry lecture filled with trivial details"; "dull and juiceless as only book knowledge can be when it is unrelated to...life"- John Mason Brown
(of liquor) having a low residual sugar content because of decomposition of sugar during fermentation; "a dry white burgundy"; "a dry Bordeaux"
not shedding tears; "dry sobs"; "with dry eyes"
free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet; "dry land"; "dry clothes"; "a dry climate"; "dry splintery boards"; "a dry river bed"; "the paint is dry"
not producing milk; "a dry cow"
opposed to or prohibiting the production and sale of alcoholic beverages; "the dry vote led by preachers and bootleggers"; "a dry state"
lacking moisture or volatile components; "dry paint"
remove the moisture from and make dry; "dry clothes"; "dry hair"
become dry or drier; "The laundry dries in the sun"
(chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid
(physics) the process in which incident radiated energy is retained without reflection or transmission on passing through a medium; "the absorption of photons by atoms or molecules"
in addition; "agreed to provide essentials but nothing beyond"
farther along in space or time or degree; "through the valley and beyond"; "to the eighth grade but not beyond"; "will be influential in the 1990s and beyond"
on the farther side from the observer; "a pond with a hayfield beyond"