dry spell

English

Etymology

Originated around 1885–1890.

Noun

dry spell (plural dry spells)

  1. A drawn-out period where the weather has been dry, for an abnormally long time; shorter and not as severe as a drought.
    • 1996, M.G. Vassangi, The Book Of Secrets: A Novel, page 74:
      The rains, it seemed, were over, and a dry spell was upon them […]
    • 2003, Denise Gess, William Lutz, Firestorm at Peshtigo, page 42:
      The only place unaffected by the persistent dry spell was the city of Milwaukee […]
  2. A period or time where there is little activity, productivity, low income etc.
    • 1970, Gabriel H. L. Jacobs, When children think: using journals to encourage creative thinking, page 31:
      The first type is of course the dry spell when you can't think of any ideas. The second type is when kids just have a dry spell in writing.
  3. A period of time without sexual intercourse.

See also
  • petrichor (the scent of rain on earth after a dry spell)
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