drop

1 of 2

noun

ˈdräp

often attributive

a(1)

: the quantity of fluid that falls in one spherical mass

a drop of rain

(2)

drops plural : a dose of medicine measured by drops

eye drops for dilating the pupil of the eye

: a minute quantity or degree of something nonmaterial or intangible

not a drop of meanness in her

: a small quantity of drink

hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in three years

: the smallest practical unit of liquid measure

: something that resembles a liquid drop: such as

: a pendent ornament attached to a piece of jewelry

also : an earring with such a pendant

: a small globular cookie or candy

sucking on lemon drops

[drop entry 2]

: the act or an instance of dropping : fall

a sudden, short drop in an elevator

: a decline in quantity or quality

His income took a sudden drop.

a drop in demand

: a descent by parachute

also : the people or equipment dropped by parachute

expecting another drop this week

: a place or central depository to which something (such as mail, money, or stolen property) is brought for distribution or transmission

left the package at the drop

also : the act of depositing something at such a place

made the drop

: the distance from a higher to a lower level or through which something drops

It's a twenty-foot drop from the top of the fence.

a steep drop

electrical engineering : a decrease in electric potential (see potential entry 2 sense 2b)

: a slot into which something is to be dropped

[drop entry 2] : something that drops, hangs, or falls: such as

: a movable plate that covers the keyhole of a lock

: an unframed piece of cloth stage scenery

also : drop curtain

: a hinged platform on a gallows

: a fallen fruit

: the advantage of having an opponent covered (see cover entry 1 sense 1b(2)) with a firearm

broadly : advantage, superiority

—usually used in the phrase get the drop on

waiting to get the drop on me

: a move back from the line of scrimmage (as in preparation for making a forward pass)

a quick drop

drop

2 of 2

verb

dropped; dropping; drops

intransitive verb

: to fall in drops

a(1)

: to fall (see fall entry 1 sense 1a) unexpectedly or suddenly

The book dropped from her hand.

(2)

: to descend (see descend sense 1) from one line or level to another

the land drops to sea level

: to fall in a state of collapse (see collapse entry 2 sense 1b) or death

dropped from exhaustion

of a playing card : to become played by reason of the obligation to follow suit

: to fall or roll into a hole or basket

: to enter or pass as if without conscious effort of will (see will entry 2 sense 4a) into some state, condition, or activity

dropped into sleep

: to cease to be of concern : lapse

let the matter drop

: to pass from view or notice : disappear

—often used with out

drop out of sight

: to become less

production dropped

—often used with off

nautical : to move with a favoring wind or current

—usually used with down

We dropped down the harbor.

informal : to be released to the public

His latest solo album dropped in August …

Ed Rampell

The second Podcast drops Nov. 14 and can be downloaded free …

Langston Wertz Jr.

There's also something to be said for jumping on a subscription for a month or two, say when a big, new game drops.

Adam Rosenberg

transitive verb

: to let fall : cause to fall

dropped the ball

dropping bombs on the city

: give up sense 2, abandon

drop an idea

drop the charges

: discontinue

dropped what she was doing

: to break off an association or connection with : dismiss

drop her old friends

was dropped by his sponsors

students who dropped the class

: to utter or mention in a casual way

drop a suggestion

drop names

: write

drop us a line soon

: to lower or cause to descend from one level or position to another

drop the hem two inches

drop the water level

: to cause to lessen or decrease : reduce

dropped his speed

of an animal : to give birth to

: lose

dropped three games

dropped $50 in a poker game

: spend

drop $20 for lunch

: to get rid of

dropped 20 pounds

: to bring down with a shot or a blow

dropped the buck with one shot

dropping the world champion in the ring

card games : to cause a cardholder to unwillingly play (a high card)

dropped her ace

: to toss or roll into a hole or basket

drop a putt

: to deposit or deliver during a usually brief stop

—usually used with off

drop the kids off at school

: air-drop

drop the supplies to the medical team

: to cause (the voice) to be less loud

linguistics : to leave (a letter representing a speech sound) unsounded

drop the g in running

: to leave out in writing : omit

accidentally dropped a whole line

: to draw from an external point

drop a perpendicular to the line

: to take (a drug) orally : swallow

drop acid

computers : to place (an item on a computer screen) in one location in a graphical user interface after dragging it from another

Move the video to the desired location and release the mouse button to drop the file …

Techsling

… you get a handy graphical representation of all your tasks and can even drag and drop them from one list to another …

Jack Wallen

droppable

ˈdrä-pə-bəl

adjective

Phrases

at the drop of a hat

: as soon as the slightest provocation is given : immediately

loses her temper at the drop of a hat

drop in the bucket

: a part so small as to be negligible

drop a dime

: to inform authorities (such as the police) of another's wrongdoing

drop behind

: to fail to keep up

drop the ball

: to make a mistake especially by failing to take timely, effective, or proper action

Example Sentences

Noun He squeezed the bottle until a few drops came out. She doesn't have a single drop of selfishness in her. The poet wrings the last drop of meaning from every word. Verb Be careful not to drop the chair on your foot. She dropped the apple core into the trash can. They dropped bombs on the city. He dropped the vase and it shattered into pieces. The player dropped the ball. The pen rolled to the edge of the table and dropped to the floor. The book dropped from my hand. The ball dropped between the right and center fielders. She was so tired she felt she would drop. He worked until he dropped. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The call from Trump to Vos came after the Wisconsin Supreme Court barred the use of most drop boxes for voters returning their absentee ballots.

Ellis Kim, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2022 The, the Dropbox issue was very specific to the pandemic years that there was a lot of fear by people of going into the elections office and that’s why people were fighting to have more drop boxes.

Laura Johnston, cleveland, 29 Nov. 2022 All drop boxes were secure on Election Day, and none were linked to fraudulent activity.

Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2022 What’s left are those deposited in drop boxes on Nov. 8 and those that arrived by mail in the seven days after election day.

Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2022 Safe drop boxes, mail-in ballots, and extended and weekend hours are possible.

Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, 11 Nov. 2022 That environment also has prompted complaints of aggressive behavior at ballot drop boxes in Phoenix and Mesa as Arizonans voted early, including concerns people were filming voters and taking photographs of their license plates.

Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 11 Nov. 2022 Last April, Kemp signed an egregious voter suppression law, sharply restricting access to absentee ballots and ballot drop boxes.

Dave Marques, The New Republic, 9 Nov. 2022 Detroit, for instance, is home to more than 500,000 voters, meaning the city would have more than 30 drop boxes under the proposal.

Detroit Free Press, 9 Nov. 2022

Verb

Katie Holmes tries to keep warm in New York City as temperatures drop on Nov. 22, wearing a long coat and scarf while out and about in SoHo.

People Staff, Peoplemag, 1 Dec. 2022 The cliché that styles make fights holds particular truth at this point in the season, when temperatures drop and the stakes rise with each remaining for would-be contenders.

Derrik Klassen, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2022 Burberry comes alive in the winter, exemplified by these classic leather boots which make for an elegant shoe staple when temperatures drop.

Anna Tingley, Variety, 23 Nov. 2022 As temperatures drop, stay snug in a variety of colors in Rea Irvin’s Embroidered Crewneck Sweatshirt, available in heather gray and navy.

The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2022 Rubber compounds in winter tires, by contrast, grow more pliable and grippier as temperatures drop.

Dan Neil, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2022 As water levels drop, a growing number of rural homeowners have been left with dry wells.

Ian Jamesstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Nov. 2022 Many artificial surfaces also mix sand into the base layer, which can retain moisture, so that portion can freeze when temperatures drop low enough.

Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 18 Nov. 2022 Blustery and cold Saturday night as late-night temperatures drop into the 30s to near 40.

Matt Rogers, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'drop.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Old English dropa; akin to Old High German tropfo drop

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of drop was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Phrases Containing drop

Cite this Entry

Style

“Drop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

drop

1 of 2 noun

ˈdräp

: the quantity of fluid that falls naturally in one rounded mass

plural : a dose of medicine measured by drops

eye drops

: a small quantity of drink

: the smallest practical unit of liquid measure

: something (as a hanging ornament on jewelry or a round candy) shaped like a drop

: the act or an instance of dropping : fall

: a decline in quantity or quality

a drop in water pressure

a drop in prices

: a descent by parachute

: a place where something (as mail or goods) is left to be picked up

: the distance through which something drops

: an unframed piece of cloth scenery in a theater

: advantage sense 1

we've got the drop on them

drop

2 of 2 verb

dropped; dropping

: to fall or let fall in drops

: to let fall : cause to fall

dropped the book

: to reduce to a lower level or stage

dropped his speed

: send sense 1

drop me a line

: to stop doing, using, or considering

drop the subject

dropped everything and ran to the door

you can drop that idea

: to knock or shoot down

: to go lower

prices dropped

: to make a brief visit

drop in for a chat

: to pass into a less active state

drop off to sleep

: to move downward or with a current

: to leave (a letter standing for a speech sound) unsounded

drop the "g" in "running"

: to give birth to

the cow dropped her calf

Medical Definition

drop

1 of 2 noun

ˈdräp

: the quantity of fluid that falls in one spherical mass

drops plural : a dose of medicine measured by drops

eye drops for dilating the pupil of the eye

: the smallest practical unit of liquid measure that varies in size according to the specific gravity and viscosity of the liquid and to the conditions under which it is formed compare minim

drop

2 of 2 verb

dropped; dropping

intransitive verb

: to fall in drops

transitive verb

of an animal : to give birth to

lambs dropped in June

: to take (a drug) orally

drop acid