dropping

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
drop/drɒp/

▶verb (drops, dropping, dropped)

• 1 fall or cause to fall vertically.

  ■ deliver by parachute.

  ■ sink to or towards the ground.

  ■ informal collapse from exhaustion.

• 2 make or become lower, weaker, or less.

  ■ lose (a point, a match, etc.).

• 3 abandon or discontinue: the charges against him were dropped.

  ■ discard or exclude.

• 4 set down or unload (a passenger or goods).

  ■ place without ceremony: drop the form in the post.

• 5 mention in passing, especially in order to impress.

• 6 (usu. as adj. dropped) Rugby score by a drop kick.

• 7 informal take (a drug) orally.

• 8 Bridge be forced to play (a relatively high card) as a loser.

• 9 (of an animal) give birth to.

▶noun

• 1 a small round or pear-shaped portion of liquid.

  ■ (drops) liquid medication applied in very small amounts.

• 2 [usu. with neg.] a drink of alcohol: he hadn't touched a drop.

• 3 an instance of falling or dropping.

  ■ an abrupt fall or slope.

• 4 informal a delivery.

  ■ US a letter box.

• 5 a sweet or lozenge: a chocolate drop.

• 6 a pendant earring.

• 7 a drop cloth.

• 8 the trapdoor on a gallows, through which the victim falls.

– phrases
at the drop of a hat informal without delay or good reason.
drop the ball N. Amer. informal make a mistake.
drop a brick Brit. informal make an indiscreet or embarrassing remark.
drop a clanger Brit. informal make an embarrassing or foolish mistake.
drop a curtsy Brit. make a curtsy.
drop dead die suddenly and unexpectedly.
drop one's guard abandon one's habitual defensive or watchful stance.
drop a hint give a hint, as if casually or unconsciously.
a drop in the ocean (or N. Amer. bucket) a very small amount compared with what is needed or expected.
drop someone a line send someone an informal note or letter.
drop a stitch let a stitch fall off the end of a knitting needle.
have the drop on informal have the advantage over.

– phrasal verbs
drop back/behind fall back or get left behind.
drop by/in visit informally and briefly.
drop off fall asleep, especially without intending to.
drop out

• 1 cease to participate.

• 2 abandon a course of study.

• 3 pursue an alternative lifestyle.

• 4 Rugby restart play with a drop kick.

– derivatives
droppable adjective.

– origin OE dropa (n.), droppian (v.), of Gmc origin; rel. to drip and droop.