dry heaves
C1Informal, Medical
Definition
Meaning
The act of retching or attempting to vomit without producing any stomach contents.
A state of intense nausea and involuntary spasms of the stomach and esophagus, often following a period of vomiting or due to extreme disgust or anxiety.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Typically used in the plural form. Describes the physical act and sensation, not just the sound. Can imply exhaustion or the end of a vomiting episode.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is understood and used in both varieties, but is more common in American English. British English may use 'retching' or 'dry retching' with similar frequency.
Connotations
Equally graphic and informal in both varieties.
Frequency
Higher frequency in American English, especially in colloquial and medical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + have/get + the dry heaves[Subject] + be + overcome by dry heavesVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[nothing specific]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare. Only in metaphorical use for a failed project (e.g., 'The launch was a dry heave').
Academic
Rare, except in clinical medical or psychological papers describing symptoms.
Everyday
Common in informal descriptions of illness, hangovers, or extreme disgust.
Technical
Used in medical contexts to describe a symptom, often related to gastroenteritis, chemotherapy, or anxiety disorders.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He was dry-heaving over the toilet for an hour.
- The smell made her dry-heave.
American English
- He dry-heaved into the sink after the run.
- I thought I was going to dry-heave right there.
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
adjective
British English
- [Not standard as an adjective. Use 'dry-heaving' as a participle.]
American English
- [Not standard as an adjective. Use 'dry-heaving' as a participle.]
Examples
By CEFR Level
- After the boat ride, he had dry heaves for an hour.
- The medicine can cause dry heaves.
- The patient experienced violent dry heaves following the chemotherapy session.
- I was so disgusted by the sight that it gave me the dry heaves.
- Exhausted and dehydrated, his vomiting subsided into sporadic, painful dry heaves.
- The psychological trigger induced a Pavlovian response of dry heaves.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'DRY' because nothing comes up, and 'HEAVES' like your chest heaves with the effort.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A CONTAINER UNDER PRESSURE (that fails to expel its contents).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'сухая рвота'. Use 'рвотные позывы' or 'сухие позывы к рвоте'. The concept is specific to the *act* of retching, not just the feeling of nausea ('тошнота').
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a singular noun (e.g., 'a dry heave' is less common). Confusing it with 'dry cough'. Using it to mean just feeling nauseous without the physical retching.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary characteristic of 'dry heaves'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is almost always used in the plural form (e.g., 'have the dry heaves'). The singular 'a dry heave' is possible but less common.
Nausea is the feeling of sickness with an urge to vomit. Dry heaves are the actual physical, convulsive act of trying to vomit without producing anything.
Yes, informally. It can describe a strong reaction of disgust or revulsion, e.g., 'That policy proposal gives me the dry heaves.'
It is used in informal medical communication (e.g., with patients). More formal clinical terms are 'retching' or 'non-productive emesis.'