drɔp n. & v. --n. 1 a a
small round or pear-shaped
portion of
liquid that hangs or falls or adheres to a
surface (drops of
dew; tears fell in
large drops). b a
very small
amount of usu. drinkable liquid (just a drop left in
the glass). c a
glass etc. of
alcoholic liquor (take a drop
with us). 2 a an
abrupt fall or
slope. b the amount of
this (a drop of
fifteen feet). c an
act of falling or dropping (had a
nasty drop). d a
reduction in prices,
temperature, etc. e a deterioration or worsening (a drop in status). 3
something resembling a drop, esp.: a a
pendant or
earring. b a
crystal ornament on a
chandelier etc. c (often in comb.) a
sweet or
lozenge (pear-drop;
cough drop). 4 something that drops or is dropped, esp.: a Theatr. a painted
curtain or
scenery let down on to the
stage. b a
platform or
trapdoor on a
gallows, the
opening of
which causes the
victim to fall. 5
Med. a the smallest
separable quantity of a liquid. b (in pl.) liquid
medicine to be
measured in drops (eye drops). 6 a minute quantity (not a drop of pity). 7 sl. a a hiding-place
for stolen or
illicit goods. b a
secret place where documents etc.
may be left or passed on in
espionage. 8 sl. a
bribe. 9 US a box for letters etc. --v. (dropped, dropping) 1 intr. & tr. fall or let fall in drops (tears dropped on to the
book; dropped the
soup down
his shirt). 2 intr. & tr. fall or
allow to fall;
relinquish; let go (dropped the box; the egg dropped
from my hand). 3 a intr. & tr.
sink or
cause to sink or fall to the ground from
exhaustion, a blow, a wound, etc. b intr. die. 4 a intr. & tr.
cease or cause to cease;
lapse or let lapse;
abandon (the
connection dropped; dropped the
friendship; drop
everything and come at once). b tr. colloq. cease to
associate with. 5 tr. set down (a
passenger etc.) (drop me at the station). 6 tr. & intr. utter or be uttered casually (dropped a
hint; the
remark dropped
into the conversation). 7 tr.
send casually (drop me a postcard). 8 a intr. & tr. fall or allow to fall in
direction, amount,
condition,
degree, pitch, etc. (his
voice dropped; the wind dropped; we dropped the
price by ø20; the road dropped southwards). b intr. (of a person)
jump down
lightly; let
oneself fall. c tr.
remove (clothes,
esp. trousers) rapidly, allowing
them to fall to the ground. 9 tr. colloq.
lose (money, esp. in gambling). 10 tr.
omit (a
letter, esp.
aitch, a
syllable etc.) in
speech. 11 tr. (as dropped adj.) in a lower
position than usual (dropped handlebars; dropped waist). 12 tr.
give birth to (esp. a
lamb, a
kitten, etc.). 13 a intr. (of a card) be played in the
same trick as a higher card. b tr.
play or cause (a card) to be played in this
way. 14 tr.
Sport lose (a game, a
point, a
contest, a match, etc.). 15 tr. Aeron.
deliver (supplies etc.) by
parachute. 16 tr.
Football a send (a ball) by a drop-kick. b
score (a goal) by a drop-kick. 17 tr. colloq.
dismiss or omit (was dropped from the team). øat the drop of a
hat given the slightest
excuse. drop
anchor anchor
ship. drop
asleep fall gently asleep. drop
away decrease or
depart gradually. drop
back (or
behind or to the rear) fall back;
get left behind. drop back into
return to (a
habit etc.). drop a
brick colloq.
make an
indiscreet or embarrassing remark. drop-curtain (or -scene) Theatr. a painted curtain or scenery (cf.
sense 4 of n.). drop a
curtsy make a curtsy. drop dead! sl. an
exclamation of
intense scorn. drop down
descend a
hill etc. drop-forging a
method of forcing white-hot
metal through an open-ended die by a
heavy weight. drop-hammer a heavy weight raised mechanically and allowed to drop, as used in drop-forging and pile-driving. drop-head
Brit. the adjustable
fabric roof of a
car. drop in (or by) colloq.
call casually as a
visitor. drop-in
centre a meeting-place where
people may call casually for
advice,
conversation, etc. a drop in the
ocean (or a bucket) a very small amount, esp. compared with
what is needed or expected. drop into colloq. 1 call casually at (a place). 2 fall into (a habit etc.). drop it! sl.
stop that! drop-kick Football a kick
made by dropping the ball and kicking it on the
bounce. drop-leaf (of a
table etc.) having a hinged
flap. drop
off 1
decline gradually. 2 colloq. fall asleep. 3 = sense 5 of v. drop on
reprimand or
punish. drop
out colloq. cease to
participate, esp. in a race, a
course of
study, or in
conventional society. drop-out n. 1 colloq. a
person who has dropped out. 2 the restarting of a game by a drop-kick. drop
scone Brit. a small
thick pancake made by dropping batter into a frying pan etc. drop-shot (in lawn tennis) a shot dropping abruptly
over the
net. drop a
stitch let a stitch fall off the
end of a knitting-needle. drop-test Engin. n. a test
done by dropping
under standard conditions. --v.tr.
carry out a drop-test
on. drop to sl.
become aware of. fit (or ready) to drop extremely
tired.
have the drop on colloq. have the
advantage over. have
had a drop
too much colloq. be slightly
drunk. øødroplet n. [OE dropa, drop(p)ian ult. f. Gmc:
cf.
DRIP, DROOP]