dry-heave

present singular third person dry-heaves · participle present dry-heaving · participle past dry-heaved · past dry-heaved · alternative dry heave

1. To attempt to vomit with the ejection of only gas.

   I followed as he hobbled toward the bathroom, and my father barely made it to the toilet before he started dry-heaving, knees spread on the tile.

   2020, Bryan Washington, Memorial, Atlantic Books (2021), page 162

   1 more example

   The venue manager was the happiest I’ve ever seen him. I smiled, trying to mirror his enthusiasm then excused myself to dry heave in the toilets.

   2021 August 13, Fern Brady, “Hot shame, dry heaving and dream audiences: a standup’s return to Edinburgh fringe”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

plural dry-heaves · alternative dry heave

1. An attempt to vomit that ejects only gas.

   She spent three days in the college infirmary trying to contain her overwhelming feelings of nausea and despair. Every morning for months, she would awake with the dry heaves.

   1980 December 6, Cindy Rizzo, “Jewish, Lesbian, Feminist, Psychologist, Author—All of the above and more”, in Gay Community News, volume 8, number 20, page 8

   1 more example

   Frequent prayer, interludes of bird-watching and a timely outbreak of dry heaves helped Henry Paulson save the American financial system from collapse, in spite of a stark lack of co-operation from Britain, according to a newly published memoir from President Bush's treasury secretary.

   2010 February 1, Andrew Clark, “On prayer, birds and dry heaving - the testing of Henry Paulson”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: dry vomit