drying up

“-- The most important change in the Red Sea has been the drying up of its northern extremity, "the tongue of the Egyptian Sea." about the head of the gulf has risen and that near the Mediterranean become depressed.”

Smith's Bible Dictionary

““Within limits, yes,” said Mrs. Bradley, trying to remain strictly truthful, without this having the effect of drying up the flood of Miss Camden’s remarks.”

Death at the Opera

“It may be produced by obstructed evacuations, such as a sudden check of perspiration, stop-page of the menses in females, or the drying up of ulcers, &c.”

The Cherokee Physician, or Indian Guide to Health, as Given by Richard Foreman, a Cherokee Doctor; Comprising a Brief View of Anatomy, With General Rules for Preserving Health without the Use of Medicines. The Diseases of the U. States, with Their Symptoms, Causes, and Means of Prevention, are Treated on in a Satisfactory Manner. It Also Contains a Description of a Variety of Herbs and Roots, Many of which are not Explained in Any Other Book, and their Medical Virtues have Hitherto been Unknown to the Whites; To which is Added a Short Dispensatory.

“The first performance of the afternoon rivalled the successes of the morning, and although Miss Rennsdale was detained at home, thus drying up the single source of cash income developed before lunch, Maurice Levy appeared, escorting Marjorie Jones, and paid coin for two admissions, dropping the money into Sam's hand with a careless -- nay, a contemptuous -- gesture.”

Penrod

“Silently, for some seconds, they sunk on the breast of each other; horrour closing all speech, drying up even their tears.”

Camilla: or, A Picture of Youth

“Cotton has to be watered five times before it is gathered in, and the four million tons of it grown each year in Uzbekistan has led to the drying up of the Aral Sea at the other end of the great Sur-Darya River that rises here from its mountain tributaries.”

Simon & Schuster: Wildwood

“The prevalence of a severe drought had resulted in drying up many of the streams within the enemy's lines, and, in consequence, he was obliged to shift his camps often, and send his beef-cattle and mules near his outposts for water.”

Fictionaut: She Makes Her Mouth Small & Round & Other Stories