Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: NATURE

Language: Old English
Origin: dropa

drop

2 noun
     
drop2 S2 W3
1

liquid

[countable] a very small amount of liquid that falls in a round shape
drop of
As the first drops of rain began to fall, Michael started to run.
A single drop of blood splashed onto the floor.
A drop of sweat ran down her forehead and into her eye.
➔ rain drop, teardrop
2

small amount

[usually singular] informal
a) DFD a small amount of liquid that you drink, especially alcohol
drop of
She likes to add a drop of brandy to her tea.
George hasn't touched a drop (=drunk any alcohol) for years.
b) a small amount of something
drop of
I haven't got a drop of sympathy for him.
3

reduction

[singular] a reduction in the amount, level, or number of something, especially a large or sudden one [= fall]
drop in
Manufacturers report a big drop in new orders.
a drop in temperature
a sharp/dramatic/marked drop in something
The results showed a sharp drop in profits.
4

distance to ground

[singular]DN a distance from a higher point down to the ground or to a lower point:
There was a steep drop on one side of the track.
a 20-metre drop
There was an almost sheer (=vertical) drop to the valley below.
5

at the drop of a hat

immediately and without pausing to think about what you are going to do:
Some of these corporations threaten to sue at the drop of a hat.
6

delivery

[countable]TTA an act of delivering something somewhere, for example by dropping it from a plane [= delivery]:
Air drops (=from a plane) of food aid were made to the region yesterday.
My first drop of the day is usually somewhere in north London.
 ➔ mail drop
7

lemon/fruit/chocolate etc drop

DFF a sweet that tastes of lemon etc
8

a drop in the ocean

British English, a drop in the bucket American English a very small amount of something compared to what is needed or wanted:
5000 new schools are to be built, but this is just a drop in the ocean for such a vast country.
9

eye/ear etc drops

MD a type of medicine that you put in your eye, ear etc, one drop at a time
Definition of drop from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic NATURE

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bank(n) bank(v) bay beach change clear cloud coast country creation dell drop(v) drop(n) dry east eye face fail fair fall field flow(n) flow(v) flower ford forest fresh green ground hill ice island lake mountain nature north panorama pass peak pour rain range raw rise(v) rise(n) rock roll rolling rural set sky snow south southeast spring stream summer sun thin vale valley water west(a) west(a) wild wind wood

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