driver’s license • driver’s permit driver’s license—(also: driving license) a document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle: I was forced to produce my driver’s license and all other identifica- tion I had on me. driver’s permit—(U.S.) provisional license for the learner drivers (to drive they must be accompanied by smb. with a driver’s license): I was up early so that Heidi could go on a field trip. She still has a driver’s permit and so I needed to go with her on the drive. driving test • test drive driving test—an examination of a person’s ability to drive a car: What is wanted is a more radical reform in the driving test calculated to lift the standard of roadcraft. test drive—a drive in a car one thinks of buying, etc. to judge its qualities: Before signing a satisfaction note inspect the vehicle carefully and, if possible, take it for a test drive . drop a bomb • drop bombs drop a bomb—(also: drop the bomb) create a sensation: Mac- intosh users have been waiting for a fast, stable, operating sys- tem. Apple has really dropped the bomb in this area. drop bombs—( Jazz drummers) place accents in music using the foot pedal of a bass drum: Joe Jones? He was the first drummer to drop bombs . drop a bundle • drop one’s bundle drop a bundle —(sl.) lose or spend a large amount of money: Over the years, I’ve dropped a bundle on clients at that restau- rant. Cf.: make a bundle —(sl.) make a lot of money: If someone had helped you get started like that, you’d have made a bundle on the stock market too. drop one’s bundle—(Austral., NZ sl.) 1. lose nerve; give up hope: Meg has had enough. Feeling unappreciated she drops her bundle and demands a few days off. 2. (of a woman) give birth: She’ll switch between jobs, pay off her mortgage, maybe drop her bundle , and be hell-bent on a comfortable retire- ment… drop a dime • penny drops, the drop a dime—(U.S. sl.) give information about a person or a situation discreetly (making a phone call): You’d better tell her the truth—someone’s bound to drop a dime if you lie. penny drops, the —(UK coll.) said when a person finally un- derstands smth.: I sat and thought for a moment and then the penny dropped . drop a hint • give a hint drop a hint—give a slight or indirect indication or sugges- tion: I’ll just drop her a hint not to be surprised at anything she sees. give a hint—1. = drop a hint: She gave him a hint that she would like him to leave. 2. (of things) foretell the coming of smth.; be the harbinger: A small black cloud gave a hint of a coming storm. drop back • drop behind drop back —1. fail to maintain one’s position; be outstripped: The early leaders drop back and allow others to make the run- ning. 2. go down; decrease: The unemployment figures dropped back last month. drop behind —1. = drop back 1: Don’t drop behind now, just when you’re doing so well. 2. fail to maintain a schedule of payments, etc.: If your payments of rent drop behind , you will be asked to leave. See also: back drop / backdrop. drop dead • drop-dead drop dead —(sl.) is used as an exclamation of annoyance di- rected at a person: When Tim’s wife heard this she said: “Tell him to just drop dead !” drop-dead —(sl.) extremely; in a spectacular way: Thank you so much Garcelle for being so drop-dead beautiful, lovely, and talented. drop down • fall down drop down—1. come down suddenly: I heard a noise from the well and saw that the cat had dropped down . 2. bend downwards; sink down: When they saw the pursuers they dropped down to take cover. 3. (coll.) pay an unexpected visit: Let’s drop down to his summer home and see if he’s there. fall down —1. = drop down 1: The hunter fired and the deer fell down dead. 2. (of a building, etc.) collapse: The steel scaf- folding fell down and narrowly missed a couple of bystanders. 3. (of a project, etc.) be unsuccessful; fail: His plan fell down when it proved too costly. drop from the skies • fall to the ground drop from the skies—(also: drop from heaven) appear unex- pectedly as if by magic: “Good gracious, miss,” I said, still doubting my senses, “have you dropped from the skies ?” fall to the ground —(of plans, etc.) fail; come to nothing: The whole scheme fell to the ground , although all the details were thought out. See also: come down to earth / go to earth. drop in • fall in drop in —1. collapse inwards; give way: The roof of the tun- nel hasn’t been properly supported; it shows signs of dropping in . 2. (coll.) visit a person casually: He usually drops in at my place on his way home. fall in—1. fall accidentally into smth.: The child was near the river and I was frightened he would fall in . 2. = drop in 1: They are afraid that the whole building will fall in on them. 3. (Military) form into ranks: At first light Chelmsford ordered his men to fall in and the column marched away. 4. (legal) ex- pire: As the leases of these old properties fall in , they are being pulled down to make way for office blocks. 5. agree: Once the chairman had stated his decision, the rest of the committee fell in . drop in on someone • drop on someone drop in on someone—(coll.) visit a person, usually without having arranged it before: I dropped in on her for coffee the other morning. drop on someone—(coll.) reprimand or punish a person: You’ll have to mind your p’s and q’s or else you’ll be dropped on . Note: The expression does not correlate in meaning with the phrase fall on someone—1. attack a person: They fell on me like an avalanche with teeth and dagger, and hatred without check or limits of sanity. 2. used of a cost, responsibility, etc. to be borne by a person: So it fell on me to do all the packing, making sure we had all the necessary equipment. drop into someone’s lap • land in someone’s lap drop into someone’s lap—(also: fall into someone’s lap) be achieved or obtained without any effort: It would not be safe to assume that victory will drop into our lap at the next elec- tion. land in someone’s lap—become an unwelcome responsibility: These problems have landed in the lap of Donald Jackson, an unassuming manager with little international experience. driver’s license – 108 –