{ "term": "drop", "partOfSpeech": "verb", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a2", "verbForms": { "presentSimple": { "iYouWeThey": "drop", "heSheIt": "drops" }, "pastSimple": "dropped", "pastParticiple": "dropped", "ingForm": "dropping" }, "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to allow something to fall by accident; to fall by accident", "sensetop": "drop somethingdrop something + adv./prep.drop to somethingdrop + adj.", "labels": "(figurative)", "cefr": "a2", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Be careful not to drop that plate.", "contextForm": "drop something" }, { "text": "I **accidentally dropped** my glasses into the water.", "contextForm": "drop something + adv./prep." }, { "text": "The climber slipped and dropped to his death.", "contextForm": "drop to something" }, { "text": "His arms dropped limply to his sides." }, { "text": "Her mouth dropped open in disbelief.", "contextForm": "drop + adj." }, { "text": "He saw Emma and promptly dropped his tray of drinks." }, { "text": "He slowly dropped to the floor." }, { "text": "Her heart dropped like a stone at this news." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["accidentally", "carelessly", "casually"], "preposition": ["in", "into", "on"] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to make something fall deliberately; to let yourself fall", "sensetop": "drop somethingdrop something + adv./prep.drop (+ adv./prep.)", "labels": "(British English)(North American English)(figurative)", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "You can never be sure whether the planes will be **dropping bombs** or food parcels.", "contextForm": "drop something" }, { "text": "Medical supplies are being dropped into the stricken area.", "contextForm": "drop something + adv./prep." }, { "text": "She lifted the bag then dropped it down again." }, { "text": "He dropped his trousers *(= undid them and let them fall)*." }, { "text": "He dropped his pants." }, { "text": "Catch me when I drop.", "contextForm": "drop (+ adv./prep.)" }, { "text": "I dropped to my knees beside her." }, { "text": "The plane came straight in, dropping down to land in a field." }, { "text": "He dropped lightly down onto the lawn beneath." }, { "text": "The cheese drops onto a conveyor underneath." }, { "text": "He casually drops the latest buzzwords into the conversation." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["accidentally", "carelessly", "casually"], "preposition": ["in", "into", "on"] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "to fall down or be no longer able to stand because you are extremely tired", "sensetop": "drop + adv./prep.", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I feel **ready to drop**." }, { "text": "She expects everyone to work till they drop." }, { "text": "He staggered in and dropped into a chair.", "contextForm": "drop + adv./prep." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["heavily", "gently", "lightly"], "verb + drop": ["let something", "be ready to"], "preposition": ["into", "onto", "to"], "phrases": ["drop like a stone", "drop open"] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "to become or make something weaker, lower or less", "sensetop": "drop to somethingdrop by somethingdrop in something (by something)drop against somethingdrop something", "cefr": "b1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The **temperature** has **dropped** considerably." }, { "text": "At last the wind dropped." }, { "text": "Error rates have **dropped dramatically**." }, { "text": "His voice dropped to a whisper.", "contextForm": "drop to something" }, { "text": "The Dutch team have dropped to fifth place." }, { "text": "The **price** of shares **dropped** by 14p.", "contextForm": "drop by something" }, { "text": "Shares **dropped in price** by 14p.", "contextForm": "drop in something (by something)" }, { "text": "The dollar **dropped sharply** against the euro.", "contextForm": "drop against something" }, { "text": "You must drop your speed in built-up areas.", "contextForm": "drop something" }, { "text": "The number of children in the class has dropped from 25 to 18." }, { "text": "The price of oil has dropped significantly." }, { "text": "The temperature rarely drops below 30°C." }, { "text": "Sales are likely to drop further." }, { "text": "Processing costs dropped 30 per cent." }, { "text": "The baby's heart rate had dropped." } ], "synonyms": "fall", "topics": ["Change, cause and effect"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["considerably", "dramatically", "drastically"], "verb + drop": ["be likely to", "be unlikely to"], "preposition": ["below", "by", "from"] } }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "to fail to win something", "sensetop": "drop something", "examples": [ { "text": "It's a long time since we dropped a game." }, { "text": "They didn't drop any points until halfway through the season." }, { "text": "She dropped the second set but came back to win the match." }, { "text": "He **dropped his serve ***(= failed to win games in which it was his turn to hit the ball first)* twice in the first set." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "to look down", "sensetop": "your eyes/gaze dropdrop your eyes/gaze", "labels": "(formal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Her eyes dropped to her lap." }, { "text": "He smiled and let his eyes drop again." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 7, "definition": "to slope steeply downwards", "sensetop": "drop (away) (from something)drop (away) (into/to something)", "examples": [ { "text": "In front of them the valley dropped sharply away from the road.", "contextForm": "drop (away) (from something)" }, { "text": "The land dropped steeply away into a small valley.", "contextForm": "drop (away) (into/to something)" } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["sharply", "steeply", "away"], "preposition": ["into", "to", "towards/​toward"] } }, { "senseNumber": 8, "definition": "to stop so that somebody can get out of a car, etc.; to deliver or leave something in a particular place, especially on the way to somewhere else", "sensetop": "drop somebody/somethingdrop somebody/something offdrop something + adv./prep.", "cefr": "b2", "examples": [ { "text": "Can you drop me near the bank?", "contextForm": "drop somebody/something" }, { "text": "You left your jacket, but I can drop it off on my way to work tomorrow.", "contextForm": "drop somebody/something off" }, { "text": "Just drop it in the mail when you have time.", "contextForm": "drop something + adv./prep." } ], "topics": ["Transport by car or lorry"] }, { "senseNumber": 9, "definition": "to send a short letter or email to somebody", "sensetop": "drop somebody a line/a note/an email", "examples": [ { "text": "Drop me a line when you get there." }, { "text": "Don't hesitate to drop me an email or give me a call." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 10, "definition": "to put some text, an icon, etc. into a file, folder or place on a computer screen, using the mouse", "sensetop": "drop something (+ adv./prep.)", "examples": [ { "text": "You can easily **drag and drop** files onto your memory stick." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 11, "definition": "to leave somebody/something out by accident or deliberately", "sensetop": "drop somebody/something from somethingdrop somebody/something", "examples": [ { "text": "She's been dropped from the team because of injury.", "contextForm": "drop somebody/something from something" }, { "text": "He spoke with a cockney accent and **dropped his aitches** *(= did not pronounce the letter ‘h’ at the start of words)*.", "contextForm": "drop somebody/something" }, { "text": "He was unceremoniously dropped by his record label." } ], "collocations": { "adverb": ["quietly", "unceremoniously"], "preposition": ["from", "in favour/​favor of"] } }, { "senseNumber": 12, "definition": "to stop seeing somebody socially", "sensetop": "drop somebody", "examples": [ { "text": "She's dropped most of her old friends." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 13, "definition": "to stop doing or discussing something; to not continue with something", "sensetop": "drop something", "cefr": "b2", "examples": [ { "text": "I dropped German *(= stopped studying it)* when I was 14." }, { "text": "**Drop everything** and come at once!" }, { "text": "Look, can we just **drop it** *(= stop talking about it)*?" }, { "text": "I think we'd better drop the subject." }, { "text": "The police decided to **drop the charges** against her." }, { "text": "Let's drop the formalities—please call me Mike." }, { "text": "Both countries have agreed to drop border controls." }, { "text": "He suddenly dropped his habitual banter." }, { "text": "The formal grade of Geologist was dropped in favour of Scientific Officer." }, { "text": "When nobody volunteered, the idea was finally dropped altogether." } ], "topics": ["Education"], "collocations": { "adverb": ["quietly", "immediately", "quickly"], "verb + drop": ["let something", "agree to", "decide to"], "preposition": ["in favour/​favor of"] } }, { "senseNumber": 14, "definition": "to say or do something in order to show somebody, in an indirect way, what you are thinking", "sensetop": "drop a hint", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": 15, "definition": "to be made available to the public", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "A new episode drops every Monday." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 16, "definition": "to let a stitch go off the needle", "sensetop": "drop a stitch", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "people stop buying or using the products of a particular industry", "examples": [ { "text": "The bottom has fallen out of the travel market." } ], "topics": ["Money"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to die or become ill and fall down in very large numbers", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "People were dropping like flies in the intense heat." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to tell the police or people in authority that somebody has done something wrong", "labels": "(North American English, informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "If he finds out who dropped the dime on him, they're in trouble." }, { "text": "I'm worried if I drop a dime on them, they'll get fired, which I don't think they really deserve." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to make a mistake and cause something that you are responsible for to fail", "labels": "(North American English, informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Let’s not drop the ball on this." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to say something that offends or embarrasses somebody, although you did not intend to", "labels": "(British English, informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to suddenly not be able to think clearly; to act in a stupid way because you have lost control over yourself", "labels": "(Australian English, New Zealand English, informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to die suddenly and unexpectedly", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "used to tell somebody, rudely, to stop annoying you, interfering, etc.", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to stop being careful and preparing yourself for possible danger or difficulty", "examples": [ { "text": "You can never drop your guard with a two-year-old." }, { "text": "Even when he's winning, he never drops his guard." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to put somebody in an embarrassing situation, especially by telling a secret that you should not have told", "labels": "(British English, informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to make something the responsibility of another person", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "They dropped the problem firmly back in my lap." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to mention famous people you know or have met in order to impress others", "examples": [ { "text": "She found him rather irritating to talk to; all he did was drop names." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "somebody has the opportunity to do something pleasant without having made any effort", "examples": [ { "text": "My dream job just fell into my lap." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that somebody suddenly looked surprised, shocked or disappointed", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to do or say nothing more about somebody/something", "examples": [ { "text": "I suggest we let the matter drop." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to mention somebody/something in a conversation, by accident or as if by accident", "examples": [ { "text": "He **let it drop that** the prime minister was a close friend of his." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that somebody has finally understood or realized something that they had not understood or realized before", "labels": "(informal, especially British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "I had to explain the joke to her a couple of times before the penny dropped." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "it was extremely quiet", "examples": [ { "text": "The audience was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop." } ] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/drɒp/", "audio": "dr/drop/drop__gb_2.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/drɒps/", "audio": "dr/drop/drops__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/drɒpt/", "audio": "dr/drop/dropped__gb_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈdrɒpɪŋ/", "audio": "dr/drop/dropping__gb_1.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/drɑːp/", "audio": "dr/drop/drop__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/drɑːps/", "audio": "dr/drop/drops__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/drɑːpt/", "audio": "dr/drop/dropped__us_1.mp3" }, { "pronunciation": "/ˈdrɑːpɪŋ/", "audio": "dr/drop/dropping__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Old English dropa (noun), droppian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to German Tropfen ‘a drop’, tropfen ‘to drip’, also to drip and droop." }