dry spell

English

Etymology

Originated around 1885–1890, from dry +‎ spell (“a period of time”). Compare cold spell.

Pronunciation

• Audio (US):

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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.
   • 1989, Christopher Ward, David Tyson (lyrics and music), “Black Velvet”, performed by Alannah Myles:

     Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell / Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high

   • 1996, M.G. Vassangi, The Book Of Secrets, 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. (figurative) A period or time where there is little activity, productivity, low income etc.
   • 1970, Gabriel H. L. Jacobs, When children think, 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. (figurative) A period of time without sexual intercourse.
   • 2007, Elina Furman, Kiss and Run, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 87:

     There's no telling when the serial dating bug can strike. You may be just getting out of a serious relationship, marriage, or long dry spell. But one thing's for certain: when it does it can become a really hard habit to break.

See also

• petrichor (“the scent of rain on earth after a dry spell”)