DROP (dropped, dropping)

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does drop mean? 

• DROP (noun)
  The noun DROP has 9 senses:

1. a shape that is spherical and small

2. a small indefinite quantity (especially of a liquid)

3. a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity

4. a steep high face of rock

5. a predetermined hiding place for the deposit and distribution of illicit goods (such as drugs or stolen property)

6. a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity

7. a curtain that can be lowered and raised onto a stage from the flies; often used as background scenery

8. a central depository where things can be left or picked up

9. the act of dropping something

  Familiarity information: DROP used as a noun is familiar.

• DROP (verb)
  The verb DROP has 23 senses:

1. let fall to the ground

2. to fall vertically

3. go down in value

4. fall or descend to a lower place or level

5. terminate an association with

6. utter with seeming casualness

7. stop pursuing or acting

8. remove (cargo, people, etc.) from and leave

9. cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

10. lose (a game)

11. pay out

12. lower the pitch of (musical notes)

13. hang freely

14. stop associating with

15. let or cause to fall in drops

16. get rid of

17. take (a drug, especially LSD), by mouth

18. omit (a letter or syllable) in speaking or writing

19. leave undone or leave out

20. change from one level to another

21. fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death

22. grow worse

23. give birth; used for animals

  Familiarity information: DROP used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DROP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A shape that is spherical and small

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

bead; drop; pearl

Context example:

beads of sweat on his forehead

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

sphere (a solid figure bounded by a spherical surface (including the space it encloses))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

dewdrop (a drop of dew)

teardrop (anything shaped like a falling drop (as a pendant gem on an earring))

Derivation:

droplet (a tiny drop)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A small indefinite quantity (especially of a liquid)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

drib; driblet; drop

Context example:

years afterward, they would pay the blood-money, driblet by driblet

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

small indefinite amount; small indefinite quantity (an indefinite quantity that is below average size or magnitude)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

tear; teardrop (a drop of the clear salty saline solution secreted by the lacrimal glands)

raindrop (a drop of rain)

droplet (a tiny drop)

eye-drop; eyedrop (a drop from an eye dropper)

Derivation:

drop (let or cause to fall in drops)

droplet (a tiny drop)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A sudden sharp decrease in some quantity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

dip; drop; fall; free fall

Context example:

when that became known the price of their stock went into free fall

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

decrease; decrement (the amount by which something decreases)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

correction (a drop in stock market activity or stock prices following a period of increases)

voltage drop (a decrease in voltage along a conductor through which current is flowing)

Derivation:

drop (go down in value)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A steep high face of rock

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

cliff; drop; drop-off

Context example:

a steep drop

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

formation; geological formation ((geology) the geological features of the earth)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

precipice (a very steep cliff)

crag (a steep rugged rock or cliff)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A predetermined hiding place for the deposit and distribution of illicit goods (such as drugs or stolen property)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

hiding place (a place suitable for hiding something (such as yourself))

Domain category:

drug (a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

dead drop (a drop used for the clandestine exchange of intelligence information)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A free and rapid descent by the force of gravity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

drop; fall

Context example:

it was a miracle that he survived the drop from that height

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

gravitation (movement downward resulting from gravitational attraction)

descent (a movement downward)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

free fall (the ideal falling motion of something subject only to a gravitational field)

plunge (a steep and rapid fall)

precipitation (the act of casting down or falling headlong from a height)

Derivation:

drop (to fall vertically)

drop (let fall to the ground)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A curtain that can be lowered and raised onto a stage from the flies; often used as background scenery

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

drop; drop cloth; drop curtain

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

curtain; drape; drapery; mantle; pall (hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window))

Derivation:

drop (fall or descend to a lower place or level)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A central depository where things can be left or picked up

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

deposit; depositary; depository; repository (a facility where things can be deposited for storage or safekeeping)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "drop"):

maildrop (a drop where mail can be deposited)

Derivation:

drop (remove (cargo, people, etc.) from and leave)

Sense 9

Meaning:

The act of dropping something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

they expected the drop would be successful

Hypernyms ("drop" is a kind of...):

descent (the act of changing your location in a downward direction)

Derivation:

drop (let fall to the ground)

• DROP (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Let fall to the ground

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

Don't drop the dishes

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Verb group:

drop (to fall vertically)

drop; drop down; sink (fall or descend to a lower place or level)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

plop (drop something with a plopping sound)

dump (drop (stuff) in a heap or mass)

hang (let drop or droop)

plank down; plonk down; plump down (drop heavily)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The girls drop the wooden sticks

Derivation:

drop (the act of dropping something)

drop (a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To fall vertically

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

the bombs are dropping on enemy targets

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Verb group:

drop (let fall to the ground)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

dump; plunge (fall abruptly)

plummet; plump (drop sharply)

flump; flump down (fall heavily)

decline (go down)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

The branches drop from the trees

Derivation:

drop (a free and rapid descent by the force of gravity)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Go down in value

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Stock prices dropped

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

decline; go down; wane (grow smaller)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

fall off; sink; slump (fall heavily or suddenly; decline markedly)

tumble (fall suddenly and sharply)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

The stock market is going to drop

Derivation:

drop (a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Fall or descend to a lower place or level

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

drop; drop down; sink

Context example:

He sank to his knees

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

change posture (undergo a change in bodily posture)

Verb group:

fall off; sink; slump (fall heavily or suddenly; decline markedly)

drop (let fall to the ground)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

drop open; fall open (open involuntarily)

sag; sag down (cause to sag)

droop; flag; sag; swag (droop, sink, or settle from or as if from pressure or loss of tautness)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

drop (a curtain that can be lowered and raised onto a stage from the flies; often used as background scenery)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Terminate an association with

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

drop him from the Republican ticket

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

remove (remove from a position or an office)

Verb group:

dismiss; drop; send away; send packing (stop associating with)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 6

Meaning:

Utter with seeming casualness

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

drop names

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

express; give tongue to; utter; verbalise; verbalize (articulate; either verbally or with a cry, shout, or noise)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Stop pursuing or acting

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

drop; knock off

Context example:

knock it off!

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

cease; discontinue; give up; lay off; quit; stop (put an end to a state or an activity)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

nol.pros.; nolle pros; nolle prosequi (drop prosecution of by entering a nolle prosequi in the court records)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 8

Meaning:

Remove (cargo, people, etc.) from and leave

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

discharge; drop; drop off; put down; set down; unload

Context example:

drop off the passengers at the hotel

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

deliver (bring to a destination, make a delivery)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

wharf (discharge at a wharf)

air-drop (drop (an object) from the air; unload from a plane or helicopter)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

drop (a central depository where things can be left or picked up)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cut down; drop; fell; strike down

Context example:

Lightning struck down the hikers

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

cut (separate with or as if with an instrument)

Cause:

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

chop down (cut down)

poleax; poleaxe (fell with or as if with a poleax)

log; lumber (cut lumber, as in woods and forests)

cut (fell by sawing; hew)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They drop the trees

Sense 10

Meaning:

Lose (a game)

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Context example:

The Giants dropped 11 of their first 13

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

lose (fail to win)

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 11

Meaning:

Pay out

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

drop; expend; spend

Context example:

spend money

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

pay (give money, usually in exchange for goods or services)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

consume; deplete; eat; eat up; exhaust; run through; use up; wipe out (use up (resources or materials))

misspend (spend time badly or unwisely)

piddle; piddle away; trifle; wanton; wanton away (waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently)

lay out (spend or invest)

economise; economize; save (spend sparingly, avoid the waste of)

commit; invest; place; put (make an investment)

nickel-and-dime; penny-pinch (spend money frugally; spend as little as possible)

misspend (spend (money or other resources) unwisely)

underspend (spend at less than the normal rate)

trifle away; wanton; wanton away (spend wastefully)

blow (spend lavishly or wastefully on)

afford (be able to spare or give up)

consume; squander; ware; waste (spend extravagantly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something on somebody

Sense 12

Meaning:

Lower the pitch of (musical notes)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

drop; flatten

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Domain category:

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 13

Meaning:

Hang freely

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

dangle; drop; swing

Context example:

The light dropped from the ceiling

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

hang (be suspended or hanging)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

droop; loll (hang loosely or laxly)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sentence example:

The lights drop from the ceiling

Sense 14

Meaning:

Stop associating with

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

dismiss; drop; send away; send packing

Context example:

They dropped her after she had a child out of wedlock

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

can; dismiss; displace; fire; force out; give notice; give the axe; give the sack; sack; send away; terminate (terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position)

Verb group:

drop (terminate an association with)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 15

Meaning:

Let or cause to fall in drops

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

dribble; drip; drop

Context example:

dribble oil into the mixture

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

pour (cause to run)

Verb group:

drip (fall in drops)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

drop (a small indefinite quantity (especially of a liquid))

dropper (pipet consisting of a small tube with a vacuum bulb at one end for drawing liquid in and releasing it a drop at a time)

Sense 16

Meaning:

Get rid of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cast; cast off; drop; shake off; shed; throw; throw away; throw off

Context example:

shed your clothes

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

remove; take; take away; withdraw (remove something concrete, as by lifting, pushing, or taking off, or remove something abstract)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

exuviate; molt; moult; shed; slough (cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers)

autotomise; autotomize (cause a body part to undergo autotomy)

abscise (shed flowers and leaves and fruit following formation of a scar tissue)

exfoliate (cast off in scales, laminae, or splinters)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 17

Meaning:

Take (a drug, especially LSD), by mouth

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Context example:

She dropped acid when she was a teenager

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

do drugs; drug (use recreational drugs)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 18

Meaning:

Omit (a letter or syllable) in speaking or writing

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

New Englanders drop their post-vocalic r's

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

elide (leave or strike out)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 19

Meaning:

Leave undone or leave out

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

drop; leave out; miss; neglect; omit; overleap; overlook; pretermit

Context example:

The workers on the conveyor belt miss one out of ten

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

forget (forget to do something)

jump; pass over; skip; skip over (bypass)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE

Sense 20

Meaning:

Change from one level to another

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

She dropped into army jargon

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 21

Meaning:

Fall or sink into a state of exhaustion or death

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

shop til you drop

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

fall (pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 22

Meaning:

Grow worse

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

degenerate; deteriorate; devolve; drop

Context example:

The discussion devolved into a shouting match

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

decline; worsen (grow worse)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "drop"):

fatigue; jade; pall; tire; weary (lose interest or become bored with something or somebody)

rot; waste (become physically weaker)

fade; languish (become feeble)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Sense 23

Meaning:

Give birth; used for animals

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

The cow dropped her calf this morning

Hypernyms (to "drop" is one way to...):

bear; birth; deliver; give birth; have (cause to be born)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

 Context examples 

I dropped the silver into the pond, and made off for Sydenham, feeling that for once in my life I had done a real good night’s work.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

First he dropped me, then he quarrelled with Sarah, and now that Mary has stopped writing we don’t know how things are going with them.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He entered with a weariness and lethargy which was even more painful than his violence of the morning before, and he dropped heavily into the armchair which I pushed forward for him.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“About a month,” said Elizabeth; and then, unwilling to let the subject drop, added, “He is a man of very large property in Derbyshire, I understand.”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

After that Maria dropped back into her old obscurity and Martin began to notice the respectful manner in which he was regarded by the small fry of the neighborhood.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The good news is that the high level of expenses will drop now, and you will feel more in control of your finances.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I assured him, “that he must be mistaken by almost half, for I had not left the country whence I came above two hours before I dropped into the sea.”

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Johnson hesitated, but the long years of obedience to the masters of ships overpowered him, and he dropped sullenly to the deck and went on forward.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

It was a slight matter in itself, but it gave me an evident chance, and I secured a few drops of the blood and have analysed them.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The bottom had dropped out of the trail.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)