keep the powder dry

A form of keep one's powder dry — To hold back on action until a future time; to save one's resources in case of emergency.

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Meanings

verbkeep the powder dry (third-person singular simple present keeps the powder dry, present participle keeping the powder dry, simple past and past participle kept the powder dry)

present singular third person keeps the powder dry · participle present keeping the powder dry · participle past kept the powder dry · past kept the powder dry

  1. alternativeAlternative form of keep one's powder dry.
Cite this entry
APA

keep the powder dry. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20the%20powder%20dry

MLA

“keep the powder dry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20the%20powder%20dry. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keep the powder dry,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keep%20the%20powder%20dry.

Source: keep the powder dry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.