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Drudge, Matt
dropped his speed. | The wind/The temperature has dropped. 3 [T+obj+adv/prep] infml to allow (someone) to get out of a vehicle: Drop me (off) at the corner. 4 [T] to stop seeing, talking about, doing, or considering; give up: Let's drop the subject. | When the fire alarm rang I dropped everything (=stopped what I was doing) and ran out of the building. I'm going to drop history this year. (=stop studying it) | They were planning to build a tunnel there, but I think they've dropped the idea now. 5 [T(from)] to stop including; leave out: I've been dropped (from the football team) for next Saturday's match. | He often drops his 'h's' (=doesn't pronounce them) when he talks. 6 [I+adv] to visit unexpectedly or informally: Drop in and see us when you're next in London. | Drop round one evening next week. | Jane dropped in on me after supper. | Bill dropped by this morning. 7 [I+adv/prep] to get further away from a moving object by moving more slowly than it: Our boat started the race well, but soon dropped off/away (from the others)/dropped behind (the others). 8 [T] to add while talking about something else (especially in the phrases drop a hint/a suggestion) → see also let drop (LET1) 9 [T] infml to lose (money): I dropped £1000 over that deal. 10 [T] infml to knock down with a shot or blow 11 [T] (in cricket) to fail to catch a ball hit by a BATSMAN: Gooch dropped Gatting in the second over. 12 [T] infml to take (a drug) by mouth: to drop acid 13 drop a brick/clanger BrE infml to do or say something foolish and socially uncomfortable: He dropped a brick in front of the president by calling her 'Sir'. 14 drop dead a) infml to die suddenly b) slang (used rudely in commands to express dislike, annoyance etc) 15 drop someone a line/note to write a short letter to someone 16 drop someone/something like a hot potato infml to quickly stop dealing with someone or something that has suddenly become unpleasant 17 drop the pilot old-fash to get rid of a skilled or trusted helper → see also the penny dropped/has dropped (PENNY) 18 drop/land sbdy in it BrE spoken to cause someone to have problems, especially by saying something that makes people get angry with them: I'm sorry if I dropped you in it, but she asked me why you weren't here. I reckon the company have landed themselves in it by ignoring these complaints.
drop off phr v [I] 1 also drop away — to lessen in amount, value etc: Interest in the game has dropped off. | Sales have dropped off this winter. 2 infml to fall into a light sleep; DOZE off
drop out phr v [I] 1 [(off)] to stop attending or taking part: He dropped out of college after only two weeks. 2 to move away from or refuse to join ordinary society because of not agreeing with accepted practices, standards, and ways of living → see also DROPOUT
drop2 n 1 [C] the amount of liquid that falls in one round mass: a drop of oil/rain | a tear drop 2 [C] a small amount of liquid: 'Would you like some more tea?' 'Just a drop, please.' | He's had a drop too much (=of alcohol) to drink. | (fig.) There isn't a drop of jealousy in her. 3 [C] a small round sweet of the stated kind: fruit drops/chocolate drops 4 [S] a) a distance or fall straight down: a long drop to the bottom of the cliff | a drop of nine metres b) a fall in amount, quality etc: a big drop in the temperature | another drop in sales 5 [C] especially AmE a place where something can be dropped or left: a mail drop 6 [C] something that is dropped: a drop of grain sacks from an aircraft to the hungry people on the island 7 a drop in the bucket/the ocean a very small amount, especially when compared with a larger amount which is needed or wanted: The money we collected for the famine victims is really just a drop in the ocean. 8 at the drop of a hat suddenly and needing almost no excuse: She expects me to rush over and help her at the drop of a hat. → see also DROPS
'drop cloth AmE || dust sheet BrE — n a large sheet of cloth used for throwing over furniture, floors, shop goods etc in order to protect them from dust, paint, or damage
drop-dead adj, adv AmE slang apprec extremely good and immediately impressive: He's handsome, but not drop-dead handsome. | a drop-dead evening gown
drop dead 'date n [C usually singular] AmE infml a date by which you must have completed something, because after this date it is no longer worth doing → compare DEADLINE
'drop goal n a SCORE in the game of RUGBY made with a dropkick
'drop-in n tech a condition caused by accidentally introducing information during the movement of DATA in a computer → compare DROP-OUT
'drop-in ,centre n an informal place where people can go for help or information and where they may meet friends and sit and talk
'drop-kick v 1 [I] to make a dropkick 2 [T] to SCORE a GOAL with a dropkick —→er n
drop-kick /'drɒpkɪk||'drɑ:p-/ n a kick made (e.g. in the game of RUGBY) by dropping a ball and kicking it immediately
drop-let /'drɒplɪt||'drɑ:p-/ n a very small drop of liquid
'drop-out n 1 a dropkick given to the defending team in the game of RUGBY 2 tech a condition caused by the accidental loss of information during the movement of DATA in a computer → compare DROP-IN 3 a case of an electronic machine not working for a short time
drop-out /'drɒpaʊt||'drɑ:p-/ n 1 someone who leaves a school or college without completing the course 2 usually derog someone who leaves ordinary society because they do not agree with accepted practices, standards, and ways of living → see also DROP OUT
drop-per /'drɒpər||'drɑ:p-/ n a short glass tube with an air-filled part (BULB) at one end, used for measuring out liquids, especially liquid medicine, in drops
drop-pings /'drɒpɪŋz||'drɑ:-/ n [P] waste matter from the bowels of animals and birds: bird/sheep droppings
drops /drɒps||drɑ:ps/ n [P] often in comb. liquid medicine to be taken drop by drop: eyedrops | These drops are administered orally.
'drop ,scone also pancake ScotE — n a small round cake made by dropping a spoonful of BATTER onto a hot pan, which may be served for tea with butter and JAM
'drop shot n a delicate shot in a game such as tennis or SQUASH in which the ball drops gently to the ground and does not rise up again very far, so that it is difficult to hit
drop-sy /'drɒpsi||'drɑ:psi/ n [U] a gathering of liquid under the skin or in the organs because of various diseases —sical adj
dross /drɒs||drɑ:s, drɔ:s/ n [U] 1 waste or worthless matter 2 something that is of very poor quality: I thought the film was utter dross!
drought /draʊt/ n [C;U] (a long period of) dry weather when there is not enough water: The crops failed because of the drought.
drove1 /drəʊv/ past tense of DRIVE
drove2 n a group of animals that are being moved together: a drove of cattle
drov-er /'drəʊvər/ n a person who drives cattle or sheep
droves /drəʊvz/ n [P] a crowd of people moving together: droves of sightseers | The tourists came in droves.
drown /draʊn/ v 1 [I;T] to (cause to) die by being under water and unable to breathe: She drowned in the river. 2 [T] to cover completely with water, especially by a rise in the water level; SUBMERGE: streets and houses drowned by the floods 3 [T(with, in)] to cover thickly; SMOTHER: drowning the bananas with cream 4 [T(OUT)] to prevent (a sound) from being heard by making a loud noise: The band drowned out our conversation. 5 drown one's sorrows to drink alcohol in an attempt to forget one's troubles
drowse /draʊz/ v [I] to be in a light sleep or pleasantly sleepy state
drow-sy /'draʊzi/ adj 1 sleepy: The medicine may make you drowsy. 2 making one sleepy: a drowsy summer afternoon 3 peacefully inactive: a drowsy village —sily adv —siness n [U] These pills may cause drowsiness.
Dr. Pep·per /ˌdɒktə ˈpepər||ˌdɑktər-/ trademark a type of sweet, non-alcoholic, CARBONATED drink
Dr Seuss → see SEUSS, DR
drub-bing /'drʌbɪŋ/ n infml a thorough defeat: We gave the other team a good drubbing.
drudge1 /drʌdʒ/ v [I] to do hard uninteresting work
drudge2 n a person who drudges
Drudge, Matt /mæt/ (1968-) a US man who runs a well-known Internet news WEBSITE, the Drudge Report, which