drop-off

[ drop-awf, -of ]

noun

1. a vertical or very steep descent:

   The trail has a drop-off of several hundred feet.

2. a decline; decrease:

   Sales have shown a considerable drop-off this year.

3. a place where a person or thing can be left, received, accommodated, etc.:

   a new drop-off for outpatients.

adjective

1. applied when a rented vehicle is left elsewhere than at the point of hire:

   to pay a drop-off charge.

drop off

verb

1. intr to grow smaller or less; decline
2. tr to allow to alight; set down
3. informal.
   intr to fall asleep

noun

1. a steep or vertical descent
2. a sharp decrease

Word History and Origins

Origin of drop-off¹

First recorded in 1955–60; noun, adj. use of verb phrase drop off

Example Sentences

The "bomb cyclone" - as forecasters call it - is caused by air pressure quickly dropping off the coast, which has rapidly intensified the weather system.

From BBC

She described friends "dropping off" following media reports of the offending.

From BBC

If a vote-by-mail ballot is dropped off in another county’s drop box, election officials must send it to the correct county recorder’s office to be tallied.

From Los Angeles Times

In the vast majority of cases, the products were dropped off without any interaction between the buyer and the delivery person, according to the study.

From Los Angeles Times

Posts mentioning vote fraud peaked at 15:00 EST on 5 November - but then dropped off significantly that evening and into the next day as polls closed and results came in.

From BBC

Related Words

• diminish
• dwindle
• fall away
• fall off
• lessen
• sag
• slacken