dry-gulch

or dry·gulch

[ drahy-guhlch ]

verb (used with object)

, Informal.

1. to ambush with the intent of killing or severely mauling:

   The riders were dry-gulched by bandits.

2. to betray by a sudden change of attitude or allegiance:

   The party dry-gulched its chief candidate at the convention.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dry-gulch¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

We’ve been in a long, dry-gulch period of dully politicized sex, which is now sputtering out into round-the-clock crusades for transgender bathrooms—knuckle-rapping morality repackaged as hygiene.

From Salon

In 1905 it was set up as a dry-gulch railroad town handling transshipments of fruits and vegetables from California to the Midwest.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the threat to dry-gulch him was another matter.

From Project Gutenberg

If you ever come up here we'll dry-gulch you, sure.

From Project Gutenberg

"I wanted to have a look at the man who wrote the note to James Cunningham threatenin' to dry-gulch him if he ever came to Dry Valley again."

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assault
• surround
• trap
• waylay