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Dry vs Empty - What's the difference?

dry | empty |

As an acronym dry

is (computing).

As an adjective empty is

devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.

As a verb empty is

(ergative) to make empty; to void; to remove the contents of.

As a noun empty is

a container, especially a bottle, whose contents have been used up, leaving it empty .

dry

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) drye, drie, dri, drige, dryge, . See also (l), (l), (l).

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete)

Adjective

(en-adj)
  • Free from liquid or moisture.
  • * Addison
  • The weather, we agreed, was too dry for the season.
  • * Prescott
  • Not a dry eye was to be seen in the assembly.
  • (chemistry) Free of water in any state; anhydrous.
  • Thirsty; needing drink.
  • * (William Shakespeare)
  • Give the dry fool drink.
  • (of an alcoholic beverage) Lacking sugar or low in sugar; not sweet.
  • Maintaining temperance; void or abstinent from alcoholic beverages.
  • (of a person or joke) Subtly humorous, yet without mirth.
  • * (Washington Irving)
  • He was rather a dry , shrewd kind of body.
  • (of a scientist or his laboratory) Not working with chemical or biological matter, but, rather, doing computations.
  • (masonry) Built without mortar; dry-stone.
  • *
  • (of animals) Not giving milk.
  • Lacking interest or amusement; barren; unembellished.
  • * (Alexander Pope)
  • These epistles will become less dry , more susceptible of ornament.
  • (fine arts) Exhibiting a sharp, frigid preciseness of execution, or lacking delicate contours and soft transitions of colour.
  • Synonyms
    * (free from liquid or moisture) arid, parched
    Antonyms
    * (free from liquid or moisture) wet * (abstinent from alcohol) wet * wet
    Derived terms
    * bone dry * dry as a bone * dry as a dead dingo’s donger * dry cough * dry hole * dry ice * drily * dry run * dryly * dryness * dry spell * drywall * dry weight * like watching paint dry

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Verb

  • To lose moisture.
  • The clothes dried on the line.
  • To remove moisture from.
  • Devin dried her eyes with a handkerchief.
  • (ambitransitive, figurative) To cease or cause to cease.
  • Their sources of income dried up.
    The stream of chatter dried up.
    Derived terms
    * drier * dryer * dry out * dry up * nondrying
    See also
    * desiccant * desiccate * desiccation

    empty

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant.
  • an empty''' purse; an '''empty''' jug; an '''empty stomach
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=October 23 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=United's stature is such that one result must not bring the immediate announcement of a shift in the balance of power in Manchester - but the swathes of empty seats around Old Trafford and the wave of attacks pouring towards David de Gea's goal in the second half emphasised that City quite simply have greater firepower and talent in their squad at present.}}
  • (computing, programming) Containing no elements (as of a string or array), opposed to being null (having no valid value).
  • (obsolete) Free; clear; devoid; often with of .
  • * Milton
  • that fair female troop empty of all good
  • * Shakespeare
  • I shall find you empty of that fault.
  • Having nothing to carry; unburdened.
  • * Shakespeare
  • an empty messenger
  • * Bible, Exodus iii. 21
  • When ye go ye shall not go empty .
  • Destitute of effect, sincerity, or sense; said of language.
  • empty words, or threats
  • * Cibber
  • Words are but empty thanks.
  • Unable to satisfy; hollow; vain.
  • empty pleasures
  • * Alexander Pope
  • pleas'd in the silent shade with empty praise
  • Destitute of reality, or real existence; unsubstantial.
  • empty dreams
  • (obsolete) Producing nothing; unfruitful; said of a plant or tree.
  • an empty vine
  • * Bible, Genesis xli. 27
  • seven empty ears blasted with the east wind
  • Destitute of, or lacking, sense, knowledge, or courtesy.
  • empty''' brains; an '''empty coxcomb
  • * Shakespeare
  • that in civility thou seem'st so empty

    Synonyms

    * (devoid of content) unoccupied, clear, , toom, clean

    Antonyms

    * full

    Derived terms

    * empty-handed * emptiness * empty product * empty set * empty sum

    Verb

  • (ergative) To make empty; to void; to remove the contents of.
  • to empty a well or a cistern
    The cinema emptied quickly after the end of the film.
  • * Bible, Eccl. xi. 3
  • The clouds empty themselves upon the earth.

    Antonyms

    * fill

    Derived terms

    * empty the tank

    Noun

    (empties)
  • A container, especially a bottle, whose contents have been used up, leaving it empty.
  • Put the empties out to be recycled.

    Derived terms

    * emptiness * run on empty