DROP BACK

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does drop back mean? 

• DROP BACK (verb)
  The verb DROP BACK has 2 senses:

1. take position in the rear, as in a military formation or in the line of scrimmage in football

2. to lag or linger behind

  Familiarity information: DROP BACK used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DROP BACK (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take position in the rear, as in a military formation or in the line of scrimmage in football

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The defender dropped back behind his teammate

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

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

To lag or linger behind

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

drag; drop back; drop behind; get behind; hang back; trail

Context example:

But in so many other areas we still are dragging

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

dawdle; fall back; fall behind; lag (hang (back) or fall (behind) in movement, progress, development, etc.)

Sentence frames:

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

 Context examples 

Hangover symptoms occur when higher-than-normal blood alcohol concentrations drop back to zero.

(Wine before beer, or beer before wine? Either way, you’ll be hungover, University of Cambridge)

So he was content, when he had overthrown and slashed wide the throat of one of their dogs, to drop back and let the pack go in and do the cruel finishing work.

(White Fang, by Jack London)