drop
Americannoun
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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.
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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.
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a very small quantity of liquid compared to a standard or typical portion.
I'll have a little more tea, just a drop.
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a minute quantity of anything.
not even a drop of mercy.
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Usually drops
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liquid medicine given in a dose or form of globules from a medicine dropper.
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a solution for dilating the pupils of the eyes, administered to the eyes in globules by a medicine dropper.
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a limited amount of an alcoholic beverage.
He occasionally takes a drop after dinner.
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the distance or depth to which anything drops.
a ten-foot drop to the ground.
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a steep slope.
a short drop to the lake.
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a decline in amount, degree, quality, value, etc..
a drop in prices.
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a small, usually spherical, piece of candy; lozenge.
a lemon drop.
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a central depository where items are left or transmitted.
a mail drop.
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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.
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something resembling or likened to a liquid globule, as certain ornaments, a spherical earring, etc.
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a pendant.
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a descent by parachute.
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an instance of dropping supplies by parachute or an amount of supplies so dropped.
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something that drops or is used for dropping.
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a group of persons dropped by parachute, as the personnel dropped by parachute during one military action.
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Theater.
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a gallows.
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a slit or opening into which something can be dropped, as in a mailbox.
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(in a casino) the income from the sale of chips.
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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.
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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.
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Informal. (in EDM and other dance music)
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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.
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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.
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a small flag, usually of enameled metal, that is a visual indicator in an annunciator or other device meant to signal or alert.
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Furniture. an applied ornament resembling a pendant.
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Architecture. gutta.
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Nautical. the vertical dimension amidships of any sail that is bent to a standing yard.
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Also called drop panel. (in reinforced-concrete-slab construction) a thickened portion of the ceiling around a column head.
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Horology. the free motion of an escape wheel between successive checks by the pallet.
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the newborn young of an animal.
verb (used without object)
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to fall in globules or small portions, as water or other liquid.
Rain drops from the clouds.
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to fall vertically; have an abrupt descent.
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to sink or fall to the ground, floor, or bottom as if inanimate.
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to fall lower in condition, degree, value, etc.; diminish or lessen; sink.
The prices dropped sharply.
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to come to an end; cease; lapse.
There the matter dropped.
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to fall or move to a position that is lower, farther back, inferior, etc..
to drop back in line;
to drop to the rear.
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to withdraw; quit (often followed by out orfrom ).
to drop out of a race;
to drop from a game.
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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.
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to make an unexpected or unannounced stop at a place; pay an informal visit or call (usually followed by in, by, orover ).
Since we're in the neighborhood, why don't we drop in at my brother's?
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to cease to appear or be seen; vanish.
to drop from sight or notice.
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to fall wounded, dead, etc..
A thousand men dropped in the battle.
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to squat or crouch, as a dog at the sight of game.
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to move gently, as carried by the tide or a light wind (usually followed bydown ).
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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)
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to let fall in drops or small portions.
to drop lemon juice into tea.
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to let or cause to fall.
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to cause or allow to sink to a lower position.
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to cause to decrease in value, amount, quality, etc.; reduce.
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to utter or express casually or incidentally.
to drop a hint.
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to write and send.
Drop me a note.
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to bring to the ground by a blow or shot.
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to set down or unload, as from a ship, car, etc. (often followed byoff ).
Drop me at the corner.
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to omit (a letter or syllable) in pronunciation or writing.
He dropped his h's.
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to lower (the voice) in pitch or loudness.
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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?
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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.
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to withdraw or cease to pursue.
The police dropped the charges against the suspect.
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Sports.
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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.
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to lose (a game or contest).
They dropped two games in a row and were eliminated from the tournament.
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Football.
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to drop-kick (a ball).
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to score with a drop kick.
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(of animals) to give birth to.
The cat dropped a litter of six kittens.
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to parachute (persons, supplies, etc.).
The Marines dropped 300 combat troops into the jungle battlefield.
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to lengthen by lowering or letting out.
to drop the hem of a skirt.
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to lower (the wheels) into position for landing an airplane.
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Informal. to release (music, software, sneakers, etc.) to the public; launch.
She dropped her second album in October.
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Informal. to spend or lose (money) in an extravagant or wasteful way.
He thought nothing of dropping $100 on a tie.
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Slang. to take (especially an illicit drug) by swallowing; ingest.
Did you know that your uncle dropped acid in college?
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Nautical. to pass out of sight of; outdistance.
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Cooking. to poach (an egg).
verb phrase
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drop out
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to withdraw from being a member or participant.
to drop out of a club;
to drop out of society and become a wanderer.
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to stop attending school or college.
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drop behind to fall short of the required pace or progress.
Her long illness caused her to drop behind the rest of the class.
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drop off
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to fall asleep.
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to decrease; decline.
Sales have dropped off drastically.
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idioms
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get / have the drop on,
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to aim and be ready to shoot a gun at an antagonist before the other person's gun can be drawn.
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to get or have at a disadvantage.
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drop in the bucket. bucket.
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at the drop of a hat, at the slightest provocation or without delay.
He's ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
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drop dead, (used as an expression of contempt, disgust, impatience, etc.).
If that's the way you feel about it, drop dead!
noun
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a small quantity of liquid that forms or falls in a spherical or pear-shaped mass; globule
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a very small quantity of liquid
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a very small quantity of anything
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something resembling a drop in shape or size, such as a decorative pendant or small sweet
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the act or an instance of falling; descent
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a decrease in amount or value; slump
a drop in prices
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the vertical distance that anything may fall
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a steep or sheer incline or slope
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short for fruit drop
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the act of unloading troops, equipment, or supplies by parachute
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(in cable television) a short spur from a trunk cable that feeds signals to an individual house
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theatre See drop curtain
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a slot or aperture through which an object can be dropped to fall into a receptacle
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nautical the midships height of a sail bent to a fixed yard Compare hoist
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slang cricket a fall of the wicket
he came in at first drop
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See drop shot
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an amount very small in relation to what is needed or desired
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without hesitation or delay
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to be drunk
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to have the advantage over someone
verb
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(of liquids) to fall or allow to fall in globules
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to fall or allow to fall vertically
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(tr) to allow to fall by letting go of
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to sink or fall or cause to sink or fall to the ground, as from a blow, wound, shot, weariness, etc
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(intr; foll by back, behind, etc) to fall, move, or go in a specified manner, direction, etc
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informal (intr; foll by in, by, etc) to pay a casual visit (to)
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to decrease or cause to decrease in amount or value
the cost of living never drops
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to sink or cause to sink to a lower position, as on a scale
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to make or become less in strength, volume, etc
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(intr) to sink or decline in health or condition
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to pass easily into a state or condition
to drop into a habit
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(intr) to move along gently as with a current of water or air
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(tr) to allow to pass casually in conversation
to drop a hint
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(tr) to leave out (a word or letter)
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(tr) to set down or unload (passengers or goods)
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(tr) to send or post
drop me a line/text/email
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(tr) to discontinue; terminate
let's drop the matter
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(tr) to cease to associate or have to do with
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slang (tr) to cease to employ
he was dropped from his job
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informal (tr; sometimes foll by in, off, etc) to leave or deposit, esp at a specified place
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(of animals) to give birth to (offspring)
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slang to lose (money), esp when gambling
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(tr) to lengthen (a hem, etc)
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(tr) to unload (troops, equipment, or supplies) by parachute
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(tr) nautical to leave behind; sail out of sight of
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(tr) sport to omit (a player) from a team
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(tr) to lose (a score, game, or contest)
the champion dropped his first service game
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(tr) sport to hit or throw (a ball) into a goal
he dropped a 30 foot putt
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(tr) to hit (a ball) with a drop shot
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nautical to fall back to the stern (of another vessel)
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slang (tr) motor racing to spin (the car) and (usually) crash out of the race
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slang (tr) to swallow (a drug, esp a barbiturate or LSD)
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slang an exclamation of contempt
noun
Other Word Forms
- droplike adjective
- undropped adjective
Etymology
Origin of drop
First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun drop(e) “drop of liquid,” Old English dropa; the verb is derived from the noun; akin to drip, droop
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.
