a small quantity of liquid that falls or is produced in a more or less spherical mass; a liquid globule.
2.
the quantity of liquid contained in such a globule.
3.
a very small quantity of liquid: I'll have a little more tea, just a drop.
4.
a minute quantity of anything: not even a drop of mercy.
5.
Usually, drops.
a.
liquid medicine given in a dose or form of globules from a medicine dropper.
b.
a solution for dilating the pupils of the eyes, administered to the eyes in globules by a medicine dropper.
6.
a limited amount of an alcoholic beverage: He occasionally takes a drop after dinner.
7.
an act or instance of dropping; fall; descent.
8.
the distance or depth to which anything drops: a ten-foot drop to the ground.
9.
a steep slope: a short drop to the lake.
10.
a decline in amount, degree, quality, value, etc.: a drop in prices.
11.
a small, usually spherical, piece of candy; lozenge: a lemon drop.
12.
a central depository where items are left or transmitted: a mail drop.
13.
a predesignated place where secret letters or packages can be left to be picked up by another person without attracting attention, as in espionage or drug dealing.
14.
something resembling or likened to a liquid globule, as certain ornaments, a spherical earring, etc.
15.
a pendant.
16.
a descent by parachute.
17.
an instance of dropping supplies by parachute or an amount of supplies so dropped.
18.
something that drops or is used for dropping.
19.
a group of persons dropped by parachute, as the personnel dropped by parachute during one military action.
Nautical. the vertical dimension amidships of any sail that is bent to a standing yard. Compare hoist(def. 6a).
29.
Also called drop panel.(in reinforced-concrete-slab construction) a thickened portion of the ceiling around a column head.
30.
Horology. the free motion of an escape wheel between successive checks by the pallet.
31.
the newborn young of an animal.
–verb (used without object)
32.
to fall in globules or small portions, as water or other liquid: Rain drops from the clouds.
33.
to fall vertically; have an abrupt descent.
34.
to sink or fall to the ground, floor, or bottom as if inanimate.
35.
to fall lower in condition, degree, value, etc.; diminish or lessen; sink: The prices dropped sharply.
36.
to come to an end; cease; lapse: There the matter dropped.
37.
to fall or move to a position that is lower, farther back, inferior, etc.: to drop back in line; to drop to the rear.
38.
to withdraw; quit (often fol. by out or from): to drop out of a race; to drop from a game.
39.
to pass or enter without effort into some condition, activity, or the like: to drop into sleep; to drop into a habit.
40.
to make an unexpected or unannounced stop at a place; pay an informal visit or call (usually fol. by in, by, or over): Since we're in the neighborhood, why don't we drop in at my brother's?
41.
to cease to appear or be seen; vanish: to drop from sight or notice.
42.
to fall wounded, dead, etc.: A thousand men dropped in the battle.
43.
to squat or crouch, as a dog at the sight of game.
44.
to move gently, as with the tide or a light wind (usually fol. by down).
45.
Slang. to ingest an illicit drug orally; swallow.
–verb (used with object)
46.
to let fall in drops or small portions: to drop lemon juice into tea.
47.
to let or cause to fall.
48.
to cause or allow to sink to a lower position.
49.
to cause to decrease in value, amount, quality, etc.; reduce.
50.
to utter or express casually or incidentally: to drop a hint.
51.
to write and send: Drop me a note.
52.
to bring to the ground by a blow or shot.
53.
to set down or unload, as from a ship, car, etc. (often fol. by off): Drop me at the corner.
54.
to omit (a letter or syllable) in pronunciation or writing: He dropped his h's.
55.
to lower (the voice) in pitch or loudness.
56.
to cease to keep up or have to do with: I dropped the subject. Will you drop your old friends if you win the lottery?
57.
to cease to employ, admit as a member, or include, as on a list; dismiss: to drop an accountant from the payroll; to drop three members of the club who have not paid their dues.
58.
to withdraw or cease to pursue: The police dropped the charges against the suspect.
59.
Sports.
a.
to throw, shoot, hit, kick, or roll (a ball, puck, etc.) through or into a basket, hole, or other goal: He dropped the ball through the basket for two points.
b.
to lose (a game or contest): They dropped two games in a row and were eliminated from the tournament.
60.
Football.
a.
to drop-kick (a ball).
b.
to score with a drop kick.
61.
(of animals) to give birth to: The cat dropped a litter of six kittens.
62.
to parachute (persons, supplies, etc.): The Marines dropped 300 combat troops into the jungle battlefield.
63.
to lengthen by lowering or letting out: to drop the hem of a skirt.
64.
to lower (the wheels) into position for landing an airplane.
65.
Slang. to take (esp. an illicit drug) by swallowing; ingest: to drop LSD.
66.
Nautical. to pass out of sight of; outdistance.
67.
Cookery. to poach (an egg).
—Verb phrases
68.
drop behind, to fall short of the required pace or progress: Her long illness caused her to drop behind the rest of the class.
69.
drop off,
a.
to fall asleep.
b.
to decrease; decline: Sales have dropped off drastically.
70.
drop out,
a.
to withdraw from being a member or participant: to drop out of a club; to drop out of society and become a wanderer.
b.
to stop attending school or college.
—Idioms
71.
at the drop of a hat, at the slightest provocation or without delay: He's ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
72.
drop dead, (used as an expression of contempt, disgust, impatience, etc.): If that's the way you feel about it, drop dead!
The smallest quantity of liquid heavy enough to fall in a spherical mass. See Table at measurement.
A small quantity of a substance.
drops Liquid medicine administered in drops.
A trace or hint: not a drop of pity.
Something shaped or hanging like a drop.
A small globular piece of hard candy.
The vertical distance from a higher to a lower level.
The distance through which something falls or drops.
A descent by parachute.
Personnel and equipment landed by means of parachute.
A predetermined location for the deposit and subsequent removal of secret communications or illicit goods, such as drugs.
The act of depositing such communications or materials.
The act of falling; descent.
A swift decline or decrease, as in quality, quantity, or intensity.
The vertical distance from a higher to a lower level.
The distance through which something falls or drops.
A descent by parachute.
Personnel and equipment landed by means of parachute.
A predetermined location for the deposit and subsequent removal of secret communications or illicit goods, such as drugs.
The act of depositing such communications or materials.
A sheer incline, such as the face of a cliff.
A descent by parachute.
Personnel and equipment landed by means of parachute.
A predetermined location for the deposit and subsequent removal of secret communications or illicit goods, such as drugs.
The act of depositing such communications or materials.
Something, such as a trapdoor on a gallows, that is arranged to fall or be lowered.
A drop curtain.
A slot through which something is deposited in a receptacle.
A central place or establishment where something, such as mail, is brought and subsequently distributed.
A predetermined location for the deposit and subsequent removal of secret communications or illicit goods, such as drugs.
The act of depositing such communications or materials.
Electronics A connection made available for an input or output unit on a transmission line.
v.
dropped, drop·ping, drops
v.
intr.
To fall in drops.
To fall from a higher to a lower place or position.
To become less, as in number, intensity, or volume.
To descend from one level to another.
To fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death.
To pass or slip into a specified state or condition: dropped into a doze; drop out of sight.
Sports To fall or roll into a basket or hole. Used of a ball.
v.
tr.
To let fall by releasing hold of.
To let fall in drops.
To cause to become less; reduce: drop the rate of production.
To cause to fall, as by hitting or shooting.
Sports To hurl or strike (a ball) into a basket or hole.
To give birth to. Used of animals.
To say or offer casually: drop a hint; drop a name.
To write at one's leisure: drop me a note.
To cease consideration or treatment of: dropped the matter altogether.
To terminate an association or a relationship with. See Synonyms at dismiss.
To leave unfinished: drop everything and help.
To leave out (a letter, for example) in speaking or writing.
To leave or set down at a particular place; unload.
Informal To spend, especially lavishly or rashly: "dropping $50,000 in an Atlantic City casino"(George F. Will).
To parachute.
To lower the level of (the voice).
To lose (a game or contest, for example).
Slang To take, as a drug, by mouth: drop acid.
To fall asleep.
To decrease: Sales dropped off in the fourth quarter.
To withdraw from participation, as in a game, club, or school.
To withdraw from established society, especially because of disillusion with conventional values.
Phrasal Verb(s): drop backFootball To back away from the line of scrimmage. drop behindTo fall behind: dropped behind the rest of the class during her illness. drop byTo stop in for a short visit. drop off
To fall asleep.
To decrease: Sales dropped off in the fourth quarter.
drop out
To withdraw from participation, as in a game, club, or school.
To withdraw from established society, especially because of disillusion with conventional values.
Idiom(s):
at the drop of a hat
Immediately; without delay: would sign the contract at the drop of a hat.
With only the slightest provocation: ready to argue at the drop of a hat.
Idiom(s):
drop a dime Slang To make a telephone call, especially to the police to inform on or betray someone.
Idiom(s):
drop in the bucketA small, inadequate quantity.
Idiom(s):
get/have the drop onTo achieve a distinct advantage over.
[Middle English droppe, from Old English dropa; see dhreu- in Indo-European roots.]
tv. to knock someone down; to punch and knock down a person. : Fred dropped Mooshoo with one punch to the jaw.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition. Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History
drop (n.)
O.E. dropa, from P.Gmc. drupon, from PIE *dhreub-. The verb (O.E.) originally meant "fall in drops;" trans. sense "allow to fall" is c.1340. Meaning "lozenge, hard candy" is 1723. Dim. form droplet is from 1607. Drop in the bucket (1382) is from Isa. ix.15 [K.J.V.]. Exclamation drop dead is from 1934; as an adj. meaning "stunning, excellent" it is first recorded 1970. At the drop of a hat "suddenly" is from 1854; drop-in "casual visit" is 1819; drop-kick is 1857; drop-out (n.) first attested 1930.
Main Entry: 2drop Function: verb Inflected Forms: dropped; drop·ping intransitive senses : to fall in drops droptransitive senses 1of an animal: to give birth to dropped in June> 2: to take (a drug) orally <drop acid>