keeps one's 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

verb
  1. indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of keep one's powder dry
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

“keeps one's powder dry.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keeps%20one's%20powder%20dry. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

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

Source: keeps one's powder dry on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.