# drop

Pronunciation: say "DROP" US /dɹɑp/, UK /dɹɒp/

## Verb

1. To let something fall, either by releasing your hold on it or losing your grip.
   - Simple: To let something fall, by letting go of it or losing your grip.
   - _The waiter dropped a tray of glasses in the busy restaurant._
   - _Hikers should never drop litter along the trail._
3. To become lower or less in amount, value, degree, or level, or to make something lower or less.
   - Simple: To go down or become less, or to make something go down or become less.
   - _Stock values can drop sharply when investors panic._
   - _Her grades dropped during a difficult semester._
5. To cancel or stop taking part in a scheduled course, event, or project.
   - Simple: To stop taking part in a class, event, or plan.
   - _Many students drop courses they find too demanding._
   - _She dropped her chemistry class after the first week because the schedule clashed with her job._
6. To set down a person or thing from a vehicle, or to stop briefly and leave something at a place.
   - Simple: To take someone or something to a place and leave them there.
   - _The driver dropped his passengers outside the terminal._
   - _I'll drop the package at your office on my way._
7. To stop including, using, or keeping someone or something; to remove, abandon, or dismiss them, as from a list, team, or schedule.
   - Simple: To stop having or including someone or something, or to remove them from a team or list.
   - _The company chose to drop the unprofitable product line._
   - _She dropped her maiden name after the wedding._
8. To fall or move quickly downward, straight down or suddenly to the ground.
   - Simple: To fall down, or move down to the ground quickly.
   - _The anchor dropped through the dark water to the seabed._
   - _Ripe apples drop from the branches and gather beneath the tree._
9. To visit someone or somewhere casually, without arranging it beforehand, usually with 'by', 'in', or 'into'.
   - Simple: To visit a person or place without planning it first.
   - _Old friends often drop by unannounced on weekends._
   - _He dropped into the cafe to see if she was working._
11. To stop concerning yourself with someone or something; to have nothing more to do with a subject or discussion.
   - Simple: To stop worrying about or dealing with something.
   - _I wish you would drop the matter entirely._
   - _She dropped the topic as soon as her boss walked in._
12. To release a song, album, video game, or piece of software to the public. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To put out new music, a game, or an app for everyone to get.
   - _The label plans to drop the album across all streaming platforms at midnight._
   - _Independent developers often drop their games directly to players online._
13. To send a letter, email, or message in a quick, casual way; originally, to let it fall into a mailbox.
   - Simple: To send a short message or letter in a quick, easy way.
   - _She dropped him a quick note before leaving for the airport._
   - _Just drop us a line if you need anything._
17. To pass or sink into a particular state or condition.
   - Simple: To slowly move into a certain state, like falling asleep.
   - _Tired travelers often drop into a heavy sleep the moment they sit down._
   - _The room dropped into silence when the judge entered._
29. To collapse from exhaustion or injury, or to fall down dead.
   - Simple: To fall down because you are too tired, too hurt, or have died.
   - _Workers can drop from heat exhaustion if they aren't given breaks._
   - _The old horse simply dropped in the field and did not rise again._
30. To make a person or animal fall to the ground with a blow or gunshot; to bring down, shoot down, or kill.
   - Simple: To knock down or bring down a person or animal with a hit or shot.
   - _The sniper dropped the target from three hundred yards._
   - _A single blow to the jaw can drop even a trained boxer._
31. To mention something casually or in passing, usually during conversation.
   - Simple: To mention something in a casual way during a talk.
   - _He casually dropped the name of a famous client into the meeting._
   - _She likes to drop little hints about her travel plans._
33. Of a liquid, to fall in small rounded beads or droplets.
   - Simple: To fall in small round drops, the way water comes off a wet cloth.
   - _Sweat dropped from his forehead onto the page._
   - _Wax continued to drop from the burning candle._
19. To lose a game, match, or other contest, often when the loss comes as a surprise.
   - Simple: To lose a game or contest, often one you were expected to win.
   - _Nobody expected the champions to drop a game to the last-place team._
   - _The top seed dropped the opening set to an unranked teenager._
20. To let go of a sum of money, whether by spending it, losing it, or handing it over some other way. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To spend money, lose it, or hand it over in some other way.
   - _Tourists can easily drop a few hundred dollars on a single dinner in that neighborhood._
   - _He dropped his whole paycheck at the poker table on Friday night._
23. To lose ground and end up behind a group, or at its rear, because of not keeping pace with those in front.
   - Simple: To end up behind the rest of a group because you can't keep up.
   - _By the tenth mile, a handful of runners had dropped well behind the leaders._
   - _Slower riders tend to drop to the rear as the climb gets steeper._
24. To bring something lower, either by moving it down or by letting it hang downward.
   - Simple: To move something to a lower place, or to let it hang down.
   - _She dropped her gaze to the floor as soon as the judge looked her way._
   - _The tailor offered to drop the hem an inch so the skirt would reach her knees._
25. To take a drug by mouth, most often LSD, and especially in the phrase drop acid. *(slang)*
   - Simple: To swallow a drug, most often LSD, as in the phrase drop acid.
   - _In the documentary, the drummer admits the band used to drop acid before shows._
   - _Someone at the festival had dropped two pills and ended up in the medical tent._
26. To leave out a letter, syllable, or similar unit when writing or, more often, when speaking.
   - Simple: To leave out a sound or letter, mostly when speaking but sometimes when writing.
   - _Fast talkers often drop their g's, so going becomes goin'._
   - _The scribe had dropped a whole syllable, turning the name into something unrecognizable._

## Noun

2. A small amount of liquid that holds a round shape through surface tension, especially one that falls from a source.
   - Simple: A tiny round bit of liquid, like one that falls from a leaky faucet.
   - _A single drop of dew clung to the leaf in the morning light._
   - _Drops of sweat rolled down his forehead during the race._
4. A decline in quality, quantity, degree, or rate.
   - Simple: A fall in how much, how good, or how fast something is.
   - _Economists noted a sharp drop in consumer spending._
   - _The sudden drop in attendance worried the organizers._
10. A movement downward under the force of gravity; a descent or fall.
   - Simple: A movement straight down because of gravity, or a fall.
   - _The roller coaster's first drop left everyone screaming._
   - _A series of sudden drops in the cable car alarmed the passengers._
14. The vertical distance one could fall from the edge of a cliff or other height; by extension, a steep slope.
   - Simple: The distance straight down from a high place that you could fall.
   - _The trail narrowed beside a sheer drop of several hundred feet._
   - _A guardrail protects hikers from the drop into the gorge._
15. A liquid medicine applied a few drops at a time, such as eye drops or ear drops, or one such dose.
   - Simple: Liquid medicine you put in a few drops at a time, like eye drops.
   - _The pharmacist recommended saline drops for the irritation._
   - _My allergist told me to put a single drop in each eye every morning, and the itching soon stopped._
16. A pick-up point where items are left for someone else to collect, either openly, as with mail, or covertly or illegally, as in espionage or crime.
   - Simple: A place where things are left so that someone else can pick them up.
   - _The courier left the package at a secure drop near the lobby._
   - _Agents arranged a hidden drop in the park for exchanging documents._
27. An instance of delivering people, supplies, or goods, especially by parachute from an aircraft, but also by other means such as truck.
   - Simple: A delivery of people or supplies, often dropped from a plane by parachute.
   - _The relief agency organized an airlift, with the first drop landing at dawn._
   - _Soldiers prepared the equipment for tomorrow's drop behind enemy lines._
28. The public release of a new product such as a music album, video game, or piece of software.
   - Simple: A new release of music, a game, or an app for people to buy or play.
   - _The album's drop was delayed until the band finished mixing._
   - _Critics praised the surprise drop of the indie game._
32. In electronic dance music, a point in a track where the bass, tempo, or tone changes dramatically and pleasingly, often forming a climax.
   - Simple: The exciting moment in a dance song when the beat and bass suddenly hit hard.
   - _The DJ built tension for a full minute before the drop._
   - _That track's drop is the moment the whole festival jumps at once._
34. A small, round piece of hard candy or a lozenge, usually named for its flavor, such as a lemon drop.
   - Simple: A small, round, hard piece of candy that you suck on slowly.
   - _He unwrapped a small striped drop and set it on his tongue._
   - _She kept a tin of sugary drops by the register for customers._
35. An advantage over someone, used only in the expressions get the drop on and have the drop on. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: An advantage over someone, used only in 'get the drop on' or 'have the drop on'.
   - _By arriving early, the lawyers got the drop on the opposing side._
   - _He always seemed to have the drop on his competitors._
18. A tiny amount of a drink or other liquid; by extension, a tiny amount of anything, including a quality or feeling.
   - Simple: Just a little bit of a drink or other liquid, or a tiny amount of anything.
   - _He hasn't touched a drop since the doctor warned him about his liver._
   - _The landlord showed not a drop of sympathy when the pipes burst._
21. In video games and online games, an item that a defeated enemy leaves behind for the player to collect.
   - Simple: In video games, a thing that a beaten enemy leaves behind for the player to pick up.
   - _Players farm the swamp troll for hours because its drop sometimes includes a rare crafting gem._
   - _Early enemies' drops are rarely worth more than a handful of gold._
22. A team's relegation from one division of a league to a lower one, usually used with the, as in fighting the drop.
   - Simple: A sports team's move down to a lower league. People usually say the drop.
   - _The club spent the final month of the season fighting the drop._
   - _Even a tie on Saturday would keep the team clear of the drop._

## Other meanings

- (noun) A little alcohol to drink, often a small glass of spirits.
- (noun) Strong liquor in general, usually spoken of as "the drop."
- (noun) One standard serving of whiskey.
- (noun) In architecture, a small knob-like ornament hanging down like a pendant, also called a gutta.
- (noun) A small pivoting metal cover that hangs over a keyhole to keep dirt out and is swung aside to insert the key.
- (noun) A piece of fruit that has fallen or been knocked from the tree instead of being picked by hand.
- (noun) In American football, a pass that a receiver fails to hold onto.
- (noun) The trapdoor that opens beneath the feet of someone being hanged, or the whole hanging frame.
- (noun) Any apparatus that lets something down, for instance gear for setting heavy cargo onto a deck or a fitting that brings a gas lamp nearer the table.
- (noun) A machine that forges or stamps metal by letting a heavy weight fall on it, short for drop hammer.
- (noun) A theater curtain that is let down across the front of the stage, or a painted backdrop flown in from above.
- (noun) The total cash a casino takes in at a table when players buy chips.
- (noun) Execution by hanging, usually called "the drop."
- (noun) Short for drop-back, the steps a quarterback takes backward after the snap before passing.
- (noun) Short for drop target, a pinball target that sinks out of sight when the ball hits it.
- (noun) Short for drop kick, a kick made by letting the ball fall and striking it as it bounces.
- (noun) In surfing, the steep, almost straight down ride from the top of a breaking wave to its base.
- (noun) A credit card sent to a customer who did not ask for it.
- (noun) In menswear sizing, the gap between chest size and waist size, usually given in inches.
- (noun) In womenswear, the gap between the bust measurement and the hip measurement.
- (noun) How far a curtain hangs from top to bottom.
- (noun) In machinery, how far the center line of a shaft sits beneath the base of the bracket that holds it.
- (noun) How far a person falls through the gallows trapdoor during a hanging.
- (noun) The height of a square sail from top to bottom, usually said of the lowest sails.
- (noun) Licorice candy, especially the Dutch kind.
- (noun) A car with a roof that folds down, usually called a convertible.
- (noun) In cricket, a place in the batting lineup after the two openers, named by number, as in "first drop" or "one drop" for the third batter.
- (verb) In video games, of loot, to become available for collection, typically once a foe is beaten.
- (verb) To be allowed to lapse or come to a stop because no one keeps it going.
- (verb) Of music, to shift down into a deeper key or pitch, or slow its pace.
- (verb) Of someone's voice, especially a teenage boy's, to become deeper.
- (verb) To quit the betting in a round of a card game.
- (verb) Of a boy's testicles, to hang lower as he reaches puberty and to start making sperm.
- (verb) To let fall or give off liquid in small beads.
- (verb) To let a liquid fall a little at a time.
- (verb) In video games, of a beaten foe or an opened chest, to release loot for the player to grab.
- (verb) To pull down one's pants quickly, especially where others can see.
- (verb) In fast-food kitchens, to put an order on to cook, usually by lowering a basket into the fryer or setting it on the grill.
- (verb) To bear young, said especially of ewes, or to lay eggs, said of birds.
- (verb) To make a voice or other sound quieter or deeper.
- (verb) To slacken a string on a guitar or similar instrument so its pitch sits below standard tuning.
- (verb) To pay with or cash forged checks, fake money, or similar items.
- (verb) To share knowledge, wisdom or insight with others, as in dropping knowledge.
- (verb) To play a track or section of music for an audience, as a DJ does.
- (verb) To deliver a rap verse or rap lyrics.
- (verb) In cricket, to let a batter stay in by failing to keep hold of a ball already caught.
- (verb) To score a goal with a kick made as the ball bounces after being dropped from the hands.
- (verb) To mark something with spots, especially of a contrasting color.
- (verb) To leave a program for a simpler, lower-level interface, such as a command shell.
- (verb) Of a program or system, to send the user to a simpler, lower-level interface.
- (verb) To order someone onto the floor for push-ups or similar exercise as punishment, or to be forced to do this.

## Origin

**Meanings 2, 4, 10, 14–16, 18, 21–22, 27–28, 32, 34–35** — This comes from Middle English "drope" and Old English "dropa" ("a drop"), from Proto-West Germanic *dropō and Proto-Germanic *drupô ("drop of liquid"), going back to a Proto-Indo-European root, perhaps *dʰrebʰ- ("to drip") or *dʰrewb- ("to crumble").
**Meanings 1, 3, 5–9, 11–13, 17, 19–20, 23–26, 29–31, 33** — This verb comes from Middle English "droppen" and Old English "dropian, droppian" ("to drop"), which was formed from "dropa" ("a drop", see etymology 1) plus the suffix "-ian" that makes verbs from nouns and adjectives.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/drop (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).