These words refer to things lacking in moisture. Dry is the most general, being equally suitable for describing solids, atmospheres or climates: She wiped the dish until it was dry , hot air in the sauna; South Australia’s dry climate. The remaining words all stress that something containing moisture has been rendered dry . Dried is commonly used to describe foods from which moisture has been partially or totally removed as a way of preserving them: dried beef; dried peas; dried apricots. In some cases, preparation involves restoring water to the product, as with peas; in other cases, the food is used as it is. Dehydrated is a more formal and technical term for the same idea, although it more often applies, in this sense, to foods that have not only been dried, but powdered as well: dehydrated milk; dehydrated eggs. In other senses, the word can indicate an unwanted loss of moisture: a fever that had caused his body to become dangerously dehydrated . Parched is a much less formal term that concentrate exclusively on this last possibility of dehydrated , referring to an undesirable or uncomfortable lack of or need for water: the parched , drought-stricken countryside; He had gulped down the last of the water in his canteen, but still felt parched with thirst.

Crisp applies almost exclusively to brittle or shrivelled solids, particularly those in thin sheets or layers. Also, the word suggests that this dry , brittle state has been arrived at by heating or cooking: crisp potato chips; the steak she had burnt to a crisp . This is not always true, however: crisp autumn leaves. Dehumidified is comparable to dehydrated in formality and would seem identical in meaning, but whereas dehydrated applies to solids, dehumidified most often applies exclusively to atmosphere: the amount of dehumidified air that an air conditioner can put out. Desiccated can function as a much more formal substitute for dried: desiccated yeast. Much more often, however, the word is used in metaphorical ways, suggesting something wasted, old, dried up, lifeless or dull: the desiccated old fuddy-duddy. Dry and crisp also have metaphorical uses. Crisp can suggest a brusque, sharp or efficient manner: She rejected his proposal with a crisp remark; the crisp smile of the airline hostess. Dry has extremely wide range of metaphorical uses. It can indicate anything droll, boring or lacking in humour: a dry remark, given with a deadpan expression; a dry book. The word can also refer to an alcoholic drink that is free of sweetness: a dry martini.