Drop — Defs

01 n. The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion…

1.
The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion of a fluid; a small quantity; as, a drop of water.
“With minute drops from off the eaves.” — Milton.

“As dear to me as are the ruddy drops That visit my sad heart.” — Shak.

“That drop of peace divine.” — Keble.
2.
That which resembles, or that which hangs like, a liquid drop; as a hanging diamond ornament, an earring, a glass pendant on a chandelier, a sugarplum (sometimes medicated), or a kind of shot or slug.
3.
Same as Gutta.(Arch.) See: Gutta
4.
Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an elevated position; also, a contrivance for lowering something(Mach.)
5.
Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops; as, lavender drops.
6.
The depth of a square sail; -- generally applied to the courses only.(Naut.)
7.
Act of dropping; sudden fall or descent.

Phrases & compounds

Ague drop — See under Ague, Black.

Drop by drop — in small successive quantities; in repeated portions.

Drop curtain — See Drop, n., 4. (d).

Drop forging — A forging made in dies by a drop hammer.

Drop hammer — a hammer for forging, striking up metal, etc., the weight being raised by a strap or similar device, and then released to drop on the metal resting on an anvil or die.

Drop kick — a kick given to the ball as it rebounds after having been dropped from the hands.

Drop lake — a pigment obtained from Brazil wood.

Drop letter — a letter to be delivered from the same office where posted.

Drop press — a drop hammer; sometimes, a dead-stroke hammer; -- also called drop.

Drop scene — a drop curtain on which a scene is painted. See Drop, n., 4. (d).

Drop seed — See the List under Glass.

Drop serene — See Amaurosis.

02 v. t. To pour or let fall in drops; to pour in small globules; to distill.

imp. & p. p. Dropped; p. pr. & vb. n. Dropping

1.
To pour or let fall in drops; to pour in small globules; to distill.
“The recording angel, as he wrote it down, dropped a tear upon the word and blotted it out forever.” — Sterne.
2.
To cause to fall in one portion, or by one motion, like a drop; to let fall; as, to drop a line in fishing; to drop a courtesy.
3.
To let go; to dismiss; to set aside; to have done with; to discontinue; to forsake; to give up; to omit.
“They suddenly drop't the pursuit.” — S. Sharp.

“That astonishing ease with which fine ladies drop you and pick you up again.” — Thackeray.

“The connection had been dropped many years.” — Sir W. Scott.

“Dropping the too rough H in Hell and Heaven.” — Tennyson.
4.
To bestow or communicate by a suggestion; to let fall in an indirect, cautious, or gentle manner; as, to drop hint, a word of counsel, etc.
5.
To lower, as a curtain, or the muzzle of a gun, etc.
6.
To send, as a letter; as, please drop me a line, a letter, word.
7.
To give birth to; as, to drop a lamb.
8.
To cover with drops; to variegate; to bedrop.
“Show to the sun their waved coats dropped with gold.” — Milton.

Phrases & compounds

To drop a vessel — to leave it astern in a race or a chase; to outsail it.

03 v. i. To fall in drops.

1.
To fall in drops.
“The kindly dew drops from the higher tree, And wets the little plants that lowly dwell.” — Spenser.
2.
To fall, in general, literally or figuratively; as, ripe fruit drops from a tree; wise words drop from the lips.
“Mutilations of which the meaning has dropped out of memory.” — H. Spencer.

“When the sound of dropping nuts is heard.” — Bryant.
3.
To let drops fall; to discharge itself in drops.
“The heavens . . . dropped at the presence of God.” — Ps. lxviii. 8.
4.
To fall dead, or to fall in death; as, dropping like flies.
“Nothing, says Seneca, so soon reconciles us to the thoughts of our own death, as the prospect of one friend after another dropping round us.” — Digby.
5.
To come to an end; to cease; to pass out of mind; as, the affair dropped.
6.
To come unexpectedly; -- with in or into; as, my old friend dropped in a moment.
“Takes care to drop in when he thinks you are just seated.” — Spectator.
7.
To fall or be depressed; to lower; as, the point of the spear dropped a little.
8.
To fall short of a mark.[R.]
“Often it drops or overshoots by the disproportion of distance.” — Collier.
9.
To be deep in extent; to descend perpendicularly; as, her main topsail drops seventeen yards.

Phrases & compounds

To drop astern — to go astern of another vessel; to be left behind; to slacken the speed of a vessel so as to fall behind and to let another pass a head.

To drop down — to sail, row, or move down a river, or toward the sea.

To drop off — to fall asleep gently; also, to die.