dry up

verb

1. intr to become barren or unproductive; fail

   in middle age his inspiration dried up

2. to dry (dishes, cutlery, etc) with a tea towel after they have been washed
3. informal.
   intr to stop talking or speaking

   when I got on the stage I just dried up

   dry up!

Example Sentences

Barnett’s consulting and ghostwriting services “dried up with so much of the rest of the economy,” with the pair relying on charity and programs like Meals on Wheels, as well as plenty of oatmeal.

From Salon

And, she adds, with the contributions to society made by international students often overlooked, while their post-graduate employment options dry up, there’s growing resentment.

From BBC

Schneider said the effects of water withdrawals can be seen in areas where native vegetation has dried up because groundwater levels have declined.

From Los Angeles Times

His own former theater company, Reprise, operated on a subscriber model, and the base of financial support to sustain it dried up, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

It was a warm October evening and the swaths of black mustard weed on the trail had completely dried up, leaving the towering stalks spindly and bare.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abate
• curb
• curtail
• cut down
• decline
• depreciate
• deteriorate
• diminish
• drop
• drop off
• dwindle
• ease
• ebb
• fall off
• lessen
• lower
• reduce
• shrink
• sink
• slacken