drop
drop — verb
1. to release your grip on something so that it goes down toward the floor or groun
to release your grip on something so that it goes down toward the floor or ground, often without meaning to; or to go down from a higher position to a lower one
Minho accidentally dropped his phone on the kitchen floor and cracked the screen.
transitive: drop + object (phone)
The glass slipped from Élise's hand and dropped onto the stone step below.
intransitive: drop onto [surface]
Kabir dropped the heavy suitcase when he reached the top of the stairs.
A ripe apple broke free from the branch and dropped into the long grass beneath the tree.
- drop a cup / plate / glass
- drop keys / phone / wallet
- drop onto the floor / ground / table
- accidentally drop
Grammar Patterns
drop + object
drop (no object)
Usage Note
This sense covers both accidental falls (drop a cup) and deliberate releases (drop a rope). The transitive form requires a direct object; the intransitive form describes the object that falls as the subject.
Common Mistakes
2. to fall down suddenly because you are very ill, injured, or exhausted; to die wi
to fall down suddenly because you are very ill, injured, or exhausted; to die without warning
During the marathon, two runners dropped from heat exhaustion near the fifteenth kilometre.
intransitive: drop from [cause]
The old horse had been ill for weeks and finally dropped in the pasture one morning.
After working three double shifts in a row, Dahlia came home and simply dropped onto the sofa.
informal use for extreme tiredness
People used to say that you could drop dead from shock, but that is very rare in reality.
- drop dead
- drop from exhaustion / heat / hunger
- drop in one's tracks
Grammar Patterns
drop (no object)
drop dead
Usage Note
Frequently used in the fixed phrase 'drop dead' as an exclamation (informal, rude) or literally. In narrative descriptions of death from illness or old age, 'drop' is less common in modern English than 'pass away' or 'die'.
3. to send someone a short, informal written message, such as a letter, email, or t
to send someone a short, informal written message, such as a letter, email, or text
Ramón promised to drop his grandmother a postcard while he was travelling around Japan.
drop + person + a postcard
If you hear about any job openings, please drop me an email and let me know.
Sari dropped a quick message to her classmates about the change in the meeting time.
drop + a quick message
Christopher said he would drop us a line as soon as his flight landed in Bangkok.
fixed phrase: drop someone a line
- drop someone a line
- drop someone a note / message
- drop someone an email
Grammar Patterns
drop + somebody + a line / note / message
Usage Note
Commonly used in the fixed expressions 'drop someone a line' (write a short letter) and 'drop someone a note'. The message is always short and informal — do not use this for formal letters or official documents.
Common Mistakes
4. to mention a topic or piece of information as though by chance, often to test ho
to mention a topic or piece of information as though by chance, often to test how someone responds or to share news without appearing to make a big deal of it
Ayana dropped a hint about wanting a bicycle for her birthday, hoping her parents would notice.
drop a hint about [topic]
During dinner, Christopher's boss dropped that the company might be hiring a new manager soon.
drop + that-clause for indirectly giving news
Hassan casually dropped the name of a famous actor to impress the people at the party.
Defne dropped a few comments about the project during the coffee break, but said nothing at the meeting itself.
- drop a hint
- drop a name / name-drop
- drop a comment / remark
- drop that-clause
Grammar Patterns
drop + a hint / comment / remark
drop + that-clause
Usage Note
Often used with 'hint' (drop a hint) to mean giving a subtle suggestion. When dropping a name, it implies mentioning a well-known person to impress others. The that-clause pattern ('drop that…') is common in storytelling and reported speech.
Common Mistakes
5. to lower a heavy metal anchor into the water to stop a ship or boat from moving
to lower a heavy metal anchor into the water to stop a ship or boat from moving away
The captain decided to drop anchor near the small island so the crew could rest for the night.
fixed phrase: drop anchor
As the wind grew stronger, the fishing boat dropped anchor close to the harbour wall.
The Watanabe family's yacht dropped anchor in a quiet bay where the water was calm and clear.
In heavy fog, the ferry captain dropped anchor and waited for visibility to improve before moving on.
- drop anchor
- drop the anchor
- weigh anchor
to lift the anchor before sailing
- raise anchor
pull the anchor up to allow the boat to move
Grammar Patterns
drop + anchor
Usage Note
Almost exclusively used with 'anchor' as the object. The phrase 'drop anchor' is a fixed nautical expression. Can also be used figuratively: 'We dropped anchor at a small café and stayed for hours.'
6. to leave out a sound, letter, or syllable when speaking or writing a word
to leave out a sound, letter, or syllable when speaking or writing a word
In some British accents, speakers drop the letter 'h' at the start of words like 'hotel'.
drop + the letter [x]
Justin noticed that his grandmother often dropped the 'g' at the end of words, saying 'runnin'' instead of 'running'.
passive: [letter] is dropped
When people speak quickly, they may drop a syllable and turn 'library' into 'li-bry'.
In informal text messages, many writers drop vowels and write 'thx' instead of 'thanks'.
- drop a letter
- drop a sound / syllable
- drop the 'h' / 'g'
- h-dropping
Grammar Patterns
drop + a letter / sound / syllable
be dropped (passive)
Usage Note
When describing pronunciation, 'drop' is used for sounds that are left out in certain dialects or casual speech. 'H-dropping' is a well-known feature of some British English accents. In writing, dropping letters is common in abbreviations and text messaging.
Common Mistakes
7. When an amount, level, value, or sound becomes lower or less; or when you cause
When an amount, level, value, or sound becomes lower or less; or when you cause it to become lower or less — for example, temperatures dropping at night, a company dropping its prices, or someone dropping their voice to a whisper.
Temperatures in the city are expected to drop below zero tonight.
intransitive: temperature + drop + below [number]
The company dropped the price of its new phone by twenty percent after poor sales.
transitive: drop + price + by [amount]
Nikhil dropped his voice to a whisper so that nobody else could hear him.
drop + voice + to [level]
Sales of the product dropped sharply after the online review described it as unreliable.
intransitive: sales drop + adverb (sharply)
The path drops steeply toward the river just past the old stone bridge.
intransitive: path/land drops + adverb (steeply)
- prices drop
- temperature drops
- drop sharply
- drop steeply
- drop your voice
Grammar Patterns
drop + noun (price / voice / temperature)
drop + adverb (sharply / steeply / below)
Usage Note
Can be used for quantities (prices, temperatures, sales), sound volume (voice), or physical slope (path, land). Frequently intransitive when the subject is the thing that decreases.
Common Mistakes
8. To stop doing, discussing, or continuing with something — especially a plan, act
To stop doing, discussing, or continuing with something — especially a plan, activity, or subject of conversation.
We dropped the idea of building a new garage because it cost too much.
drop + idea / plan
Élise dropped her history class after the first month because she found it too difficult.
drop + class / course
Let us drop the subject for now and talk about something less upsetting.
drop + subject / topic (conversation)
The police dropped the investigation when they found no clear evidence of a crime.
drop + investigation / case
- drop a subject
- drop a plan
- drop a class
- drop an investigation
Grammar Patterns
drop + noun (idea / plan / class / subject)
drop + gerund (studying / going / doing)
Usage Note
Often followed by a gerund (dropped studying) when referring to discontinuing an activity. Common objects include ideas, classes, subjects, and investigations.
Common Mistakes
9. To remove someone from a team, group, or social network; to end a personal conne
To remove someone from a team, group, or social network; to end a personal connection with someone; or to discard something that is no longer wanted.
The coach dropped two players from the team after they missed three training sessions.
drop + person + from + team/group
Xiu dropped her old friends from high school after she moved to a different city.
drop + friends (end social contact)
We should drop the broken chairs from the inventory and order new ones.
drop + object (get rid of)
After the scandal, several big sponsors dropped all ties with the television network.
drop + ties / association
- drop from the team
- drop ties
- drop a friend
- drop someone from a group
- exclude
more formal, less common in everyday speech
- get rid of
more informal, mainly for objects or things
- omit
used when leaving items out of a list or text, not for social relationships
Grammar Patterns
drop + person + from + group/team
drop + ties/contact + with + person
drop + noun (object you no longer need)
Usage Note
Common in sports (players dropped from a team), social contexts (stop seeing someone), and logistics (remove items from a list or inventory). The person or thing being excluded is the direct object; the group is introduced with 'from'.
Common Mistakes
10. To give someone a ride to a location and then leave them there; or to deliver an
To give someone a ride to a location and then leave them there; or to deliver an item to a specific place, typically as a stop during a longer journey.
Anthony drops the children at school every morning on his way to the office.
drop + person + at + place (by car)
Could you drop these documents at the lawyer's office when you go downtown?
drop + object + at + place (deliver on the way)
Felipe dropped his suit at the dry cleaner's before heading to the airport.
drop + object + at + service location
The delivery driver dropped the package at the front door while nobody was home.
drop + package + at + location
- drop someone at school
- drop something off
- drop a package
- drop children at school
- pick up
opposite action — collect someone or something from a place
Grammar Patterns
drop + person + at + place
drop + object + at/in + place
drop + person/object + off
Usage Note
Almost always used with a location phrase (at/at a place). The phrasal verb 'drop off' is very common and interchangeable in everyday speech. 'Drop' alone sounds slightly more formal or abbreviated.
Common Mistakes
11. When a new product, album, film, or piece of digital content is made public so p
When a new product, album, film, or piece of digital content is made public so people can purchase, view, listen to, or use it; or for a company to release such content.
The band plans to drop their new album in March next year.
transitive: drop + album / single
A major software update for the app dropped yesterday and fixed several bugs.
intransitive: update / version drops
The streaming service dropped all ten episodes of the new series at once.
transitive: drop + episodes / content
When the film trailer dropped online, it got over a million views within hours.
intransitive: trailer / content drops + online
- drop an album
- drop a single
- drop a product
- drop a trailer
- drop a new episode
Grammar Patterns
drop + noun (album / single / product / trailer)
noun + drops (intransitive, e.g., 'the album drops')
Usage Note
Originally popular in US hip-hop and music culture ('drop a beat'), now used broadly for any new content release. Can be used transitively (the company drops something) or intransitively (the content drops). More informal than 'release' or 'launch'.
12. To be defeated in a game, match, or contest and not obtain victory.
To be defeated in a game, match, or contest and not obtain victory.
The team dropped their first three games of the season before winning any at all.
drop + game / match (sports context)
Emre dropped the final match even though he was leading by two sets.
drop + final / match (tennis)
Manchester City dropped valuable points in the last two away games this month.
drop + points (football / soccer)
Adaeze dropped two games in a row but came back to win the overall tournament.
drop + games in a row (sequence of losses)
- drop a game
- drop a match
- drop a set
- drop points
- win
opposite — to be successful in a game or competition
Grammar Patterns
drop + noun (game / match / set / point / race)
Usage Note
Common in sports journalism and commentary. The object must be the game, match, or points — not the opponent ('drop a game' is correct; 'drop a team' is not). Frequently used in British English for football (soccer) matches.
Common Mistakes
drop away
phrasal verbTo become smaller in number or amount; to disappear gradually.
The number of students dropped away after the first year.
As the road climbed, the houses dropped away.
drop back
phrasal verbTo move to a position behind others.
The runner dropped back to second place.
She dropped back to let her friend catch up.
drop behind
phrasal verbTo fail to keep up with others in movement or progress.
He dropped behind the group during the hike.
If you miss classes, you might drop behind in your studies.
drop by
phrasal verbTo visit someone informally, often without arranging it first.
I'll drop by your office later this afternoon.
She dropped by to say hello on her way home.
drop in
phrasal verbTo visit someone informally, usually without arranging it first.
Feel free to drop in anytime you're in the area.
He dropped in for a quick chat after work.
drop in on
phrasal verbTo visit someone informally, often without arranging it first.
We decided to drop in on our grandparents.
She dropped in on her friend while shopping.
drop into
phrasal verbTo visit a place informally, often without arranging it first.
I dropped into the café for a coffee.
He dropped into the library to return a book.
drop off
phrasal verbTo take someone or something to a place and leave them/it there; or to fall asleep.
I'll drop off the package at the post office.
She dropped off to sleep during the movie.
drop out
phrasal verbTo leave a school, course, or activity before it is finished.
He dropped out of college to start a business.
Several players dropped out of the race due to injury.
drop round
phrasal verbTo visit someone informally, often without arranging it first.
I'll drop round to your place after dinner.
She dropped round to borrow a book.
People stop buying or using the products of a particular industry.
The bottom fell out of the housing market last year.
When the bottom drops out of an industry, many workers lose their jobs.
To die or become ill and fall down in very large numbers.
During the heatwave, elderly people were dropping like flies.
In the battle, soldiers fell like flies under heavy fire.
To tell the police or people in authority that somebody has done something wrong.
He dropped a dime on his neighbor for selling stolen goods.
If you drop the dime on them, they might get arrested.
drop the ball
idiomTo make a mistake and cause something that you are responsible for to fail.
The team dropped the ball by missing the deadline.
I dropped the ball when I forgot to send the report.
drop a brick/clanger
idiomTo say something that offends or embarrasses somebody, although you did not intend to.
She dropped a brick by asking about his divorce.
He dropped a clanger when he mentioned the secret project.
drop your bundle
idiomTo suddenly not be able to think clearly; to act in a stupid way because you have lost control over yourself.
During the exam, she dropped her bundle and couldn't answer.
He dropped his bundle when the boss criticized his work.
drop dead
idiomTo die suddenly and unexpectedly.
He dropped dead of a heart attack at age fifty.
The old man dropped dead while gardening.
drop your guard
idiomTo stop being careful and preparing yourself for possible danger or difficulty.
You should never drop your guard when walking alone at night.
Even though he was winning, he didn't drop his guard.
drop somebody in it
idiomTo put somebody in an embarrassing situation, especially by telling a secret that you should not have told.
She dropped me in it by revealing my surprise party plan.
He dropped his friend in it when he mentioned the stolen money.
To make something the responsibility of another person.
The manager dropped the difficult project in my lap.
She dumped the paperwork in his lap and left.
drop names
idiomTo mention famous people you know or have met in order to impress others.
At the party, he kept dropping names of celebrities.
She dropped names to make herself seem important.
Somebody has the opportunity to do something pleasant without having made any effort.
A great job opportunity fell into her lap unexpectedly.
The winning lottery ticket dropped into his lap.
Used to say that somebody suddenly looked surprised, shocked or disappointed.
Her jaw dropped when she saw the huge cake.
His jaw fell when he heard the shocking news.
To do or say nothing more about somebody/something.
Let's drop the subject and talk about something else.
He let it drop that he was moving to London.
the penny drops
idiomUsed to say that somebody has finally understood or realized something that they had not understood or realized before.
After a long explanation, the penny finally dropped.
It took a while, but then the penny dropped and she understood.
It was extremely quiet.
In the library, you could hear a pin drop.
During the speech, you could hear a pin drop.
drop — noun
1. a single small round amount of liquid that falls or hangs from something, such a
a single small round amount of liquid that falls or hangs from something, such as water from a tap or a spot of rain on a window
Beatrix watched a single drop of rain slide slowly down the windowpane.
countable: a drop of rain
Salma wiped the last drop of coffee off the kitchen counter with a cloth.
Every drop of water matters during the dry season in that village.
collocation: every drop counts
Élise noticed a single drop of oil on the driveway under the car.
- a drop of rain
- a drop of water
- a drop of blood
- a drop of sweat
- a drop of ink
Grammar Patterns
a drop of + noun
Common Mistakes
2. a very small quantity of a drink, often an alcoholic one
a very small quantity of a drink, often an alcoholic one
Esteban asked for just a drop of water to help him swallow the medicine.
informal: a drop of water meaning a small amount
"Would you like a drop of whisky before you go?" Grandfather asked Lukas.
Rania offered her guest a drop of sherry to warm him up on the cold evening.
polite offer pattern: would you like / offer + a drop of
"Could I have just a drop of lemon juice for my salad?" asked Ravindra.
- a drop of wine
- a drop of whisky
- a drop of tea
Grammar Patterns
a drop of + beverage noun
Usage Note
Common in polite offers ('a drop of tea / wine') and requests. Often implies a smaller amount than the speaker would usually serve.
3. a small measured amount of liquid medicine given one at a time from a bottle or
a small measured amount of liquid medicine given one at a time from a bottle or dropper
Ryo put two drops of the ear medicine into his left ear before bed.
pattern: number + drops of + medicine
The doctor told Hoa to use eye drops three times a day for a week.
Each dropper bottle contains about two hundred drops of the vitamin solution.
countable: two hundred drops
Isabela always carries her eye drops when she travels on long aeroplane flights.
compound: eye drops
- eye drops
- ear drops
- nose drops
- drops of medicine
- put drops in
Grammar Patterns
drops of + medicine noun
number + drop(s) of + substance
Usage Note
The standard unit for liquid medications given through the eyes, ears, or nose. 'Drops' (plural) often refers to the medication itself, as in 'eye drops' or 'ear drops'.
Common Mistakes
4. a small round candy with a fruit flavour, often sold in a packet
a small round candy with a fruit flavour, often sold in a packet
Christopher bought a bag of lemon drops for the long train ride north.
pattern: [flavour] drops — fruit drops
Quan offered his grandmother a cherry drop, and she thanked him with a smile.
Anna sucked on a mint drop to freshen her breath before the meeting.
Mayumi gave each child a fruit drop after their piano lesson finished.
pattern: [flavour] drop as a treat
- fruit drops
- lemon drops
- cough drops
- throat drops
Grammar Patterns
[flavour] drop(s)
Usage Note
More common in British English than American English. In the US, 'drops' is mainly used for medicated candy such as 'cough drops'.
5. how far down something goes from a high point to the ground or surface below, es
how far down something goes from a high point to the ground or surface below, especially when steep
The cliff has a forty-metre drop straight down to the ocean below.
pattern: number + -metre drop
Imani warned the children about the steep drop behind the garden wall.
collocation: steep drop
There is a sharp drop at the edge of the path, so watch your step.
The drop from the balcony to the ground floor is nearly six metres.
- a steep drop
- a sheer drop
- a 50-metre drop
- the drop from something to something
- rise
an increase in height or upward distance
Grammar Patterns
a + number + -metre/-foot drop
a steep drop
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 9 (FALL, the action of falling) — this sense refers specifically to the vertical measurement of space from top to bottom, not the act of falling itself.
Common Mistakes
6. a sudden or clear decrease in the amount, level, or quality of something, such a
a sudden or clear decrease in the amount, level, or quality of something, such as temperature, prices, or performance
The company reported a sharp drop in profits during the first quarter.
pattern: a drop in + noun (profits/sales/temperature)
Meteorologists are predicting a temperature drop of ten degrees overnight.
pattern: a + noun + drop of + number
Chidi noticed a sudden drop in the quality of the service at the hotel.
Caleb noted a sudden drop in his energy levels after lunch that day.
- a sharp drop
- a sudden drop
- a drop in price
- a drop in temperature
- a drop in sales
- a drop of 10%
Grammar Patterns
a drop in + noun
a drop of + number
Usage Note
Commonly followed by 'in' ('a drop in sales') or 'of' ('a drop of 5%'). When the amount of change is mentioned, 'of' introduces the number; 'in' introduces the thing that changed.
Common Mistakes
7. the sending of food, medicine, or equipment to people on the ground by pushing o
the sending of food, medicine, or equipment to people on the ground by pushing or releasing it out of a plane or helicopter
The United Nations organised an air drop of food to the flood victims.
air drop of [supplies] + to [recipients]
Helicopters made emergency supply drops to villages cut off by the earthquake.
supply drops collocation
The aid agency coordinated a medicine drop for the remote mountain clinics.
Each parachute drop delivered enough rice for a family of four for one month.
parachute drop collocation
- air drop
- supply drop
- food drop
- medicine drop
- parachute drop
- emergency drop
- aid drop
- airdrop
specifically refers to delivery by aircraft; often written as one word
- parachute drop
emphasises that supplies descend by parachute, not free fall
Grammar Patterns
drop + of + noun
air drop / supply drop / food drop
Usage Note
Frequently appears as part of a compound noun: air drop, supply drop, food drop, medicine drop. The type of supply comes first.
Common Mistakes
8. a place where something is left to be collected later, often secretly or quietly
a place where something is left to be collected later, often secretly or quietly
The spy left the coded message at a prearranged drop in the park.
prearranged drop collocation
Nikhil and Ayana used a post office box as their mail drop for receiving documents.
mail drop collocation
The informant collected the money from a drop behind the old warehouse.
Rania left the package at the agreed drop before the meeting time.
- dead drop
- mail drop
- drop point
- drop site
- prearranged drop
- agreed drop
- dead drop
a specific spy technique where the two parties never meet; a type of drop
- pick-up point
more general; not necessarily secret
- depository
formal; usually a permanent place, not a one-time arrangement
Grammar Patterns
dead drop
mail drop
drop + for + noun
Usage Note
Often appears in espionage or crime contexts. A dead drop is a specific type where the person leaving and the person collecting never meet.
Common Mistakes
9. the action of someone or something falling downward through the air, often with
the action of someone or something falling downward through the air, often with the sense of speed or free movement
The cat survived a drop of nearly fifteen metres from the roof.
survived a drop of [distance]
The roller coaster's first drop plunged the riders into complete darkness.
Be careful — the other side of the wall has a very steep drop.
steep drop collocation
Samir enjoyed a smooth free-fall drop before opening his parachute.
free-fall drop collocation
- steep drop
- sheer drop
- vertical drop
- free-fall drop
- a drop of [distance]
- parachute drop
- survive a drop
Grammar Patterns
a drop of [distance]
a drop from [place]
a steep drop
a sheer drop
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 5 (HEIGHT DROP, a static vertical measurement) and sense 6 (DECLINE, a numerical reduction). This sense describes the dynamic action of falling through the air, not a measured distance or an amount decrease.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- dropsverb (3rd person singular)B1
- dropsnoun (plural)B1
- droppedverb (past tense / past participle)B1
- droppingverb (present participle)B1
- droppernounC1
- dropletnounC1
- droppingsnoun (plural)C1
- dripverbB2
- dripnounB2
- name-dropverbC1
- name-droppingnounC1
- eyedrop / eye dropnounB1
- raindropnounB1
- teardropnounB2
- backdropnounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
Drop is the most versatile of these words because it can be both transitive (you drop something) and intransitive (something drops). Fall is always intransitive — you cannot 'fall a cup'; a cup falls. Lower implies deliberate, controlled downward movement, often with a rope or by hand, while drop can be accidental or deliberate. Release focuses on the act of letting go of your grip, without saying what happens to the object afterward — you can release a rope without the object falling. Let go of is more deliberate than drop and is often used with body parts ('let go of my hand') or in warnings ('let go of the handle'). In everyday speech: 'She dropped her phone' (accidental) versus 'She lowered the phone to the table' (deliberate) versus 'She let go of the rope' (released grip; the rope may or may not fall).
Common collocations
Nouns
- anchor
- hint
- name
- line / note / message
- price
- temperature
- voice
- plan / idea
- class / course
- subject / topic
- investigation / case / charges
- ties / contact / friends
- children / package / documents
- album / single / episode / trailer
- game / match / set / points
Phrases
- drop anchor
- drop a hint
- drop a line / drop a note
- drop names / name-drop
- drop the ball
- drop charges
- drop a class / drop a course
- drop by / drop in
- drop off
- drop out
- at the drop of a hat
- a drop in the ocean
- drop dead
- drop everything
Etymology
The noun drop comes from Old English dropa, meaning a small amount of liquid in a rounded shape. The verb developed from the noun during the same period, first meaning 'to fall in drops' and later extending to 'let something fall.' Both trace back to the Proto-Germanic root *drupô, which also gave English the words drip and droop.