dry hole

[ drahy hohl ]

noun

1. Also called duster. any well drilled for oil or gas that does not yield enough to be commercially profitable:

   After three consecutive dry holes, we were delirious when this site came through big for us.

2. a failed business venture, especially one that began with expectations and promises of high profitability:

   How do we explain to our investors yet another dry hole from our video games division?

dry hole

noun

1. (in the oil industry) a well that is drilled but does not produce oil or gas in commercially worthwhile amounts

Word History and Origins

Origin of dry hole¹

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

You’re digging a dry hole, my dear.

From New York Times

She dragged aside a slab of stone from a smaller, dry hole in the rock.

From Literature

“For me, if I’ve got agreement from two sources, hopefully it’s less likely that when I drill, I’ll hit a dry hole,” said Proctor, who told me Thompson has been right before on his property.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s time to make our offshore waters a dry hole for oil producers.

From Los Angeles Times

Shell bought leases in the Chukchi Sea off the northwest coast of Alaska in 2008 and spent more than $7 billion only to drill a dry hole in 2015.

From Washington Post