Advertisement
Advertisement
drop
[ drop ]
noun
- a small quantity of liquid that falls or is produced in a more or less spherical mass; a liquid globule:
The steam condensed and formed drops of water on the window.
- the quantity contained in a globule or bead of liquid that forms or falls:
The instructions say to place two drops of iodine on the piece of potato.
- a very small quantity of liquid compared to a standard or typical portion:
I'll have a little more tea, just a drop.
- a minute quantity of anything:
not even a drop of mercy.
- Usually drops.
- liquid medicine given in a dose or form of globules from a medicine dropper.
- a solution for dilating the pupils of the eyes, administered to the eyes in globules by a medicine dropper.
- a limited amount of an alcoholic beverage:
He occasionally takes a drop after dinner.
- the distance or depth to which anything drops:
a ten-foot drop to the ground.
- a steep slope:
a short drop to the lake.
- a decline in amount, degree, quality, value, etc.:
a drop in prices.
- a small, usually spherical, piece of candy; lozenge:
a lemon drop.
- a central depository where items are left or transmitted:
a mail drop.
- 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.
- something resembling or likened to a liquid globule, as certain ornaments, a spherical earring, etc.
- a pendant.
- a descent by parachute.
- an instance of dropping supplies by parachute or an amount of supplies so dropped.
- something that drops or is used for dropping.
- a group of persons dropped by parachute, as the personnel dropped by parachute during one military action.
- Theater.
- a gallows.
- a slit or opening into which something can be dropped, as in a mailbox.
- (in a casino) the income from the sale of chips.
- Informal. music, software, sneakers, or other highly anticipated consumer products newly released to the public, or the release itself of such an item: We don’t know for certain why the drop was postponed.
Her latest music video drop created a lot of buzz.
We don’t know for certain why the drop was postponed.
- Also called dropped item. (in a video game) an item acquired by a player character from a defeated nonplayer character:
The mobs in this zone have pretty mediocre drops.
- Informal. (in EDM and other dance music)
- Also called beat drop. a point of release in a song when, after a buildup of tension during which pitch and pace increase and the bass diminishes or disappears, the bass beat resumes.
- a climactic section of a song which begins with the resumption of the bass beat after a buildup section during which the bass has receded or diminished.
- a small flag, usually of enameled metal, that is a visual indicator in an annunciator or other device meant to signal or alert.
- Furniture. an applied ornament resembling a pendant.
- Architecture. gutta ( def 2 ).
- Nautical. the vertical dimension amidships of any sail that is bent to a standing yard. Compare hoist ( def 6a ).
- Also called drop panel. (in reinforced-concrete-slab construction) a thickened portion of the ceiling around a column head.
- Horology. the free motion of an escape wheel between successive checks by the pallet.
- the newborn young of an animal.
verb (used without object)
- to fall in globules or small portions, as water or other liquid:
Rain drops from the clouds.
- to fall vertically; have an abrupt descent.
- to sink or fall to the ground, floor, or bottom as if inanimate.
- to fall lower in condition, degree, value, etc.; diminish or lessen; sink:
The prices dropped sharply.
- to come to an end; cease; lapse:
There the matter dropped.
- to fall or move to a position that is lower, farther back, inferior, etc.:
to drop back in line;
to drop to the rear.
- to withdraw; quit (often followed by out or from ):
to drop out of a race;
to drop from a game.
- to pass or enter without effort into some condition, activity, or the like: to drop into a habit.
to drop into sleep;
to drop into a habit.
- to make an unexpected or unannounced stop at a place; pay an informal visit or call (usually followed by in, by, or over ):
Since we're in the neighborhood, why don't we drop in at my brother's?
- to cease to appear or be seen; vanish:
to drop from sight or notice.
- to fall wounded, dead, etc.:
A thousand men dropped in the battle.
- to squat or crouch, as a dog at the sight of game.
- to move gently, as carried by the tide or a light wind (usually followed by down ).
- Informal. (of consumer products) to be released to the public, sometimes at an announced time or as a limited edition to stoke interest; launch: New patterns and designs drop every six weeks, ensuring their bamboo baby clothes remain a hot ticket.
When the app dropped, I decided to give it a test run.
New patterns and designs drop every six weeks, ensuring their bamboo baby clothes remain a hot ticket.
verb (used with object)
- to let fall in drops or small portions:
to drop lemon juice into tea.
- to let or cause to fall.
- to cause or allow to sink to a lower position.
- to cause to decrease in value, amount, quality, etc.; reduce.
- to utter or express casually or incidentally:
to drop a hint.
- to write and send:
Drop me a note.
- to bring to the ground by a blow or shot.
- to set down or unload, as from a ship, car, etc. (often followed by off ):
Drop me at the corner.
- to omit (a letter or syllable) in pronunciation or writing:
He dropped his h's.
- to lower (the voice) in pitch or loudness.
- 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?
- to cease to employ, admit as a member, or include, as on a list; dismiss:
to drop an employee from the payroll;
to drop three members of the club who have not paid their dues.
- to withdraw or cease to pursue:
The police dropped the charges against the suspect.
- Sports.
- 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.
- to lose (a game or contest):
They dropped two games in a row and were eliminated from the tournament.
- Football.
- to drop-kick (a ball).
- to score with a drop kick.
- (of animals) to give birth to:
The cat dropped a litter of six kittens.
- to parachute (persons, supplies, etc.):
The Marines dropped 300 combat troops into the jungle battlefield.
- to lengthen by lowering or letting out:
to drop the hem of a skirt.
- to lower (the wheels) into position for landing an airplane.
- Informal. to release (music, software, sneakers, etc.) to the public; launch:
She dropped her second album in October.
- Informal. to spend or lose (money) in an extravagant or wasteful way:
He thought nothing of dropping $100 on a tie.
- Slang. to take (especially an illicit drug) by swallowing; ingest:
Did you know that your uncle dropped acid in college?
- Nautical. to pass out of sight of; outdistance.
- Cooking. to poach (an egg).
verb phrase
- to withdraw from being a member or participant:
to drop out of a club;
to drop out of society and become a wanderer.
- to stop attending school or college.
- to fall short of the required pace or progress:
Her long illness caused her to drop behind the rest of the class.
- to fall asleep.
- to decrease; decline:
Sales have dropped off drastically.
drop
/ drɒp /
noun
- a small quantity of liquid that forms or falls in a spherical or pear-shaped mass; globule
- a very small quantity of liquid
- a very small quantity of anything
- something resembling a drop in shape or size, such as a decorative pendant or small sweet
- the act or an instance of falling; descent
- a decrease in amount or value; slump
a drop in prices
- the vertical distance that anything may fall
- a steep or sheer incline or slope
- short for fruit drop
- the act of unloading troops, equipment, or supplies by parachute
- (in cable television) a short spur from a trunk cable that feeds signals to an individual house
- theatre See drop curtain
- a slot or aperture through which an object can be dropped to fall into a receptacle
- nautical the midships height of a sail bent to a fixed yard Compare hoist
- slang.cricket a fall of the wicket
he came in at first drop
- See drop shot
- a drop in the bucket or a drop in the oceanan amount very small in relation to what is needed or desired
- at the drop of a hatwithout hesitation or delay
- have had a drop too muchto be drunk
- have the drop on someoneto have the advantage over someone
verb
- (of liquids) to fall or allow to fall in globules
- to fall or allow to fall vertically
- tr to allow to fall by letting go of
- to sink or fall or cause to sink or fall to the ground, as from a blow, wound, shot, weariness, etc
- intr; foll by back, behind, etc to fall, move, or go in a specified manner, direction, etc
- informal.intr; foll by in, by, etc to pay a casual visit (to)
- to decrease or cause to decrease in amount or value
the cost of living never drops
- to sink or cause to sink to a lower position, as on a scale
- to make or become less in strength, volume, etc
- intr to sink or decline in health or condition
- intrsometimes foll byinto to pass easily into a state or condition
to drop into a habit
- intr to move along gently as with a current of water or air
- tr to allow to pass casually in conversation
to drop a hint
- tr to leave out (a word or letter)
- tr to set down or unload (passengers or goods)
- tr to send or post
drop me a line/text/email
- tr to discontinue; terminate
let's drop the matter
- tr to cease to associate or have to do with
- slang.tr to cease to employ
he was dropped from his job
- informal.tr; sometimes foll by in, off, etc to leave or deposit, esp at a specified place
- (of animals) to give birth to (offspring)
- slang.to lose (money), esp when gambling
- tr to lengthen (a hem, etc)
- tr to unload (troops, equipment, or supplies) by parachute
- tr nautical to leave behind; sail out of sight of
- tr sport to omit (a player) from a team
- tr to lose (a score, game, or contest)
the champion dropped his first service game
- tr sport to hit or throw (a ball) into a goal
he dropped a 30 foot putt
- tr to hit (a ball) with a drop shot
- drop asternnautical to fall back to the stern (of another vessel)
- slang.tr motor racing to spin (the car) and (usually) crash out of the race
- slang.tr to swallow (a drug, esp a barbiturate or LSD)
- drop dead! slang.an exclamation of contempt
noun
- rugby short for drop kick or drop-kick
Discover More
Other Words From
- drop·like adjective
- un·dropped adjective
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Discover More
Word History and Origins
Origin of drop1
Discover More
Idioms and Phrases
- at the drop of a hat, at the slightest provocation or without delay:
He's ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
- drop dead, (used as an expression of contempt, disgust, impatience, etc.):
If that's the way you feel about it, drop dead!
- get / have the drop on,
- to aim and be ready to shoot a gun at an antagonist before the other person's gun can be drawn.
- to get or have at a disadvantage.
- drop in the bucket. bucket ( def 13 ).
More idioms and phrases containing drop
- at the drop of a hat
- bottom drops out of
- get the drop on
- hear a pin drop
- let drop
- wait for the other shoe to drop
Advertisement
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse