See Also: toe-drop(medicine)
drop-off(dictionary)
drop-in(dictionary)
drop-(dictionary)
drop(2)(dictionary)
drop(1)(dictionary)
Drop(medicine)
Drop-out(health)
Drop(finance)
Drop, The(money)

drop- (iou)



drop- combining form.
[Repr. DROP verb, noun.]
Prefixed to words, esp. nouns, in various senses, as 'that drops', 'involving a drop', 'shaped like a drop'.
drop-black noun bone-black ground into water, formed into drops, and dried L19.
drop-curtain noun (Theatrical) = act-drop s.v. ACT noun M19.
drop-dead adjective (slang) (a) designating the latest date or time by which something can be done; (b) that surprises one, esp. outstandingly attractive, stunning: M20.
drop-down adjective (a) that drops down or unfolds when required; (b) Computing (of a menu) appearing below a menu title when selected, and remaining until used or dismissed: M20.
drop-fly noun = DROPPER noun 3 L19.
drop-forge verb trans. make by drop-forging L19.
drop-'forging noun forging in which a drop-hammer falls repeatedly on to heated metal, forcing it into a die; a forging made in this way: L19.
drop-hammer noun a heavy weight raised mechanically and allowed to drop, as used in drop-forging and pile-driving; a drop-forging machine: M19.
drop-handle noun a handle that hangs down when not held L19.
drop-'handlebar(s) noun a bicycle handlebar, bicycle handlebars, in which the handles are bent below the rest of the bar M20.
drop-head adjective & noun (a) (designating) a sewing-machine, typewriter, etc., that can be lowered into a table etc. so as to leave a flat top; (b) (having) a car-roof that can be folded down or removed; (c) (designating) a chapter-heading lower down the page than the first line of ordinary pages: L19.
drop initial noun phr. (Typography) = drop-letter (b) below M20.
drop-keel (a) a centreboard; (b) a projecting keel: L19.
drop-kick noun (Rugby Football) a kick made by dropping the ball and kicking it as it drops: M19.
drop-leaf noun & adjective (having) a hinged flap on a table or desk which can be raised to increase the surface area: L19.
drop-letter noun (a) N. Amer. a letter posted at a post office for local delivery or collection from that office; (b) Typography a large letter at the beginning of a section of text, occupying more than the depth of one line: M19.
drop-light noun (a) US a portable gas-lamp attached to the gas pipe by a flexible tube; (b) an electric light suspended from the ceiling: L19.
drop-line noun a weighted fishing-line for fishing near the bottom of a river etc. M19.
drop-press noun: in which metal is formed using a drop-hammer M19.
drop-ripe adjective (of fruit) ripe enough to drop: E18.
drop-scene noun a drop-curtain; the final scene of a drama, a denouement: E19.
drop-scone noun a small pancake formed by dropping spoonfuls of batter on a hot surface; a griddle-cake: L19.
drop-seed noun a grass that readily drops its seed, esp. Muhlenbergia diffusa M19.
drop-shot noun (a) small gunshot; (b) = drop-stroke below: L17.
drop-shoulder noun a style of shoulder on a garment cut so that the seam is positioned on the upper arm rather than the shoulder E20.
dropside noun & adjective (having) a side of a cot or lorry that drops down E20.
dropstone noun (a) a stalactite, a stalagmite; (b) Geology a stone embedded in a sedimentary deposit and believed to have got there after being released from a melting glacier: L17.
drop-stroke noun a soft stroke or shot in tennis, squash, etc., causing the ball to drop abruptly after crossing the net or hitting the wall L19.
drop-tank noun an aircraft fuel tank that can be dropped when empty M20.
drop test noun phr. a test of the strength of an object, in which it is dropped from a height under controlled conditions, or a set weight is dropped on it from a given height L19.
drop-testing verbal noun the performance of a drop test E20.
drop-waist noun a style of waistline on a dress cut so that the seam is positioned at the hips rather than the waist E20.