dréchen

Ultimately from a blend of Proto-Germanic *druknaz and *drūgiz, whose dialectal border runs close to Luxembourg. In the Middle High German dialects underlying Luxembourgish, the former yielded drucken [ˈdrukːən], while the latter yielded drǖge [ˈdryːɣə]. These forms then influenced each other and (perhaps through intermediates like *drücken vs. *drǖgen) ultimately merged into *drüchen.

From Proto-Germanic *druknaz are German trocken, Yiddish טרוקן (trukn). From Proto-Germanic *drūgiz are Central Franconian drüch, drei(ch), Limburgish druug, English dry. From a third variant *draugiz are Dutch droog, Low German dröög. All mean “dry”.

• IPA^(key): [ˈdʀəɕən]

dréchen (masculine dréchenen, neuter dréchent, comparative méi dréchen, superlative am dréchensten)

1. dry (not moist or wet)

   Antonyms: fiicht, naass

   Déi dréche Wäsch muss gefaalt ginn.

   The dry laundry must be folded.

2. dry, stale

   Antonym: frësch

   Dat aalt Brout ass mer ze dréchen.

   That old bread is too dry for me.

3. (wine) dry

   Antonym: séiss

   Wëlls de léiwer en dréchene Wäin oder e séissen?

   Would you prefer a dry wine or a sweet one?

• Dréchent