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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
drop verb (dropped, dropping) 1 tr & intr to fall or allow to fall. 2 tr & intr to decline or make something decline; to lower or weaken. 3 to give up or abandon (eg a friend or a habit); to stop doing something. 4 to stop discussing (a topic). 5 (also drop someone or something off) to set them down from a vehicle; to deliver or hand them in. 6 to leave or take out someone or something • They've dropped me from the team. 7 to mention something casually • drop a hint. 8 to fail to pronounce (especially a consonant) • drop one's h's. 9 colloq to write informally • Drop me a line. 10 rugby to score (a goal) by a drop kick. 11 coarse slang except when said of an animal to give birth to (a baby). 12 slang to beat to the ground. noun 1 a small round or pear-shaped mass of liquid, especially when falling; a small amount (of liquid). 2 a descent; a fall. 3 a vertical distance. 4 a decline or decrease. 5 any small round or pear-shaped object, eg an earring or boiled sweet. 6 (drops) liquid medication administered in small amounts • eye drops. 7 a delivery. 8 in compounds (usually drop-) used of something that drops, or that is used in or for dropping. at the drop of a hat colloq promptly; for the slightest reason. let something drop to make it known inadvertently or as if inadvertently.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon droppian.
drop back or behind to get left behind others in a group. drop in or by to pay a brief unexpected visit. drop into something to pass idly or passively into (a habit, etc). drop off 1 colloq to fall asleep. 2 to become less; to diminish; to disappear. drop out 1 to withdraw from an activity. 2 colloq to adopt an alternative lifestyle as a reaction against traditional social values. See also dropout. drop out of something to withdraw eg from a pre-arranged activity. |
drop verb (dropped, dropping) 1 tr & intr to fall or allow to fall. 2 tr & intr to decline or make something decline; to lower or weaken. 3 to give up or abandon (eg a friend or a habit); to stop doing something. 4 to stop discussing (a topic). 5 (also drop someone or something off) to set them down from a vehicle; to deliver or hand them in. 6 to leave or take out someone or something • They've dropped me from the team. 7 to mention something casually • drop a hint. 8 to fail to pronounce (especially a consonant) • drop one's h's. 9 colloq to write informally • Drop me a line. 10 rugby to score (a goal) by a drop kick. 11 coarse slang except when said of an animal to give birth to (a baby). 12 slang to beat to the ground. noun 1 a small round or pear-shaped mass of liquid, especially when falling; a small amount (of liquid). 2 a descent; a fall. 3 a vertical distance. 4 a decline or decrease. 5 any small round or pear-shaped object, eg an earring or boiled sweet. 6 (drops) liquid medication administered in small amounts • eye drops. 7 a delivery. 8 in compounds (usually drop-) used of something that drops, or that is used in or for dropping. at the drop of a hat colloq promptly; for the slightest reason. let something drop to make it known inadvertently or as if inadvertently.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon droppian.
drop back or behind to get left behind others in a group. drop in or by to pay a brief unexpected visit. drop into something to pass idly or passively into (a habit, etc). drop off 1 colloq to fall asleep. 2 to become less; to diminish; to disappear. drop out 1 to withdraw from an activity. 2 colloq to adopt an alternative lifestyle as a reaction against traditional social values. See also dropout. drop out of something to withdraw eg from a pre-arranged activity. |
drop verb (dropped, dropping) 1 tr & intr to fall or allow to fall. 2 tr & intr to decline or make something decline; to lower or weaken. 3 to give up or abandon (eg a friend or a habit); to stop doing something. 4 to stop discussing (a topic). 5 (also drop someone or something off) to set them down from a vehicle; to deliver or hand them in. 6 to leave or take out someone or something • They've dropped me from the team. 7 to mention something casually • drop a hint. 8 to fail to pronounce (especially a consonant) • drop one's h's. 9 colloq to write informally • Drop me a line. 10 rugby to score (a goal) by a drop kick. 11 coarse slang except when said of an animal to give birth to (a baby). 12 slang to beat to the ground. noun 1 a small round or pear-shaped mass of liquid, especially when falling; a small amount (of liquid). 2 a descent; a fall. 3 a vertical distance. 4 a decline or decrease. 5 any small round or pear-shaped object, eg an earring or boiled sweet. 6 (drops) liquid medication administered in small amounts • eye drops. 7 a delivery. 8 in compounds (usually drop-) used of something that drops, or that is used in or for dropping. at the drop of a hat colloq promptly; for the slightest reason. let something drop to make it known inadvertently or as if inadvertently.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon droppian.
drop back or behind to get left behind others in a group. drop in or by to pay a brief unexpected visit. drop into something to pass idly or passively into (a habit, etc). drop off 1 colloq to fall asleep. 2 to become less; to diminish; to disappear. drop out 1 to withdraw from an activity. 2 colloq to adopt an alternative lifestyle as a reaction against traditional social values. See also dropout. drop out of something to withdraw eg from a pre-arranged activity. |
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The Chambers Dictionary (13th edition)
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The Chambers Thesaurus
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Chambers Biographical Dictionary
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Consult Chambers 21st Century Dictionary, The Chambers Thesaurus (1996) or Chambers Biographical Dictionary (1997 edition with amendments). Enter your search and choose your title from the drop-down menu.
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