| drop |
noun |
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., 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., Same as Gutta., Any small pendent ornament., Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an elevated position; also, a contrivance for lowering something, A door or platform opening downward; a trap door; that part of the gallows on which a culprit stands when he is to be hanged; hence, the gallows itself., A machine for lowering heavy weights, as packages, coal wagons, etc., to a ship’s deck., A contrivance for temporarily lowering a gas jet., A curtain which drops or falls in front of the stage of a theater, etc., A drop press or drop hammer., The distance of the axis of a shaft below the base of a hanger., Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops; as, lavender drops., The depth of a square sail; — generally applied to the courses only., Act of dropping; sudden fall or descent., To pour or let fall in drops; to pour in small globules; to distill., 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., To let go; to dismiss; to set aside; to have done with; to discontinue; to forsake; to give up; to omit., 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., To lower, as a curtain, or the muzzle of a gun, etc., To send, as a letter; as, please drop me a line, a letter, word., To give birth to; as, to drop a lamb., To cover with drops; to variegate; to bedrop., To fall in drops., To fall, in general, literally or figuratively; as, ripe fruit drops from a tree; wise words drop from the lips., To let drops fall; to discharge itself in drops., To fall dead, or to fall in death., To come to an end; to cease; to pass out of mind; as, the affair dropped., To come unexpectedly; — with in or into; as, my old friend dropped in a moment., To fall or be depressed; to lower; as, the point of the spear dropped a little., To fall short of a mark., To be deep in extent; to descend perpendicularly; as, her main topsail drops seventeen yards. |