drop off • fall off drop off—1. become detached: The handle of the door has dropped off . 2. become abruptly much lower: The cliff drops off suddenly here, be careful. 3. (coll.) leave a vehicle; get off: Thanks for the ride, I’ll drop off here. 4. become less; deteri- orate: The quality of performance has dropped off since last year. 5. (coll.) fall asleep: I went to bed early but for some rea- son I couldn’t drop off . 6. (euph.) die: He would probably drop off quietly with suppressed gout. fall off—1. = drop off 1: My top button has fallen off . 2. = drop off 2: The land falls off here towards the river. 3. = drop off 4: Their enthusiasm seems to be falling off a bit. 4. cease participation: Some of our most loyal members have now fallen off . drop out • fall out drop out—1. leave a school, etc. before the end of the course: He has dropped out , and won’t attend college any more. 2. (coll.) withdraw (from an undertaking): You can drop out from the rat race, hoping that you can make it on your own. 3. come out: As she picked up the envelope, a key dropped out . fall out—1. (Military) leave the ranks: At the end of the pa- rade, the battalion fell out . 2. quarrel: We’re not going to fall out over this, are we? 3. come to pass; happen: It fell out that the men were not needed. 4. = drop out 3: A little roll of dol- lar-notes fell out upon the ground. drop the ball • take up the ball drop the ball—let smth. go wrong; make an embarrassing error: In my opinion, this is one area where Microsoft has re- ally dropped the ball when it comes to spam filtering. Note: a) The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase drop a brick—(sl.) do smth. foolish; say smth. stupid or indiscreet: It was hinted to me pretty plainly that I had dropped a brick when I told my brother I didn’t like Mary. b) The expression is not antonymous in meaning to the phrase carry the ball—assume the responsibility (taking the most im- portant or difficult part in an action): Who will carry the ball ? Who will have responsibility for paying the bills and balancing the check book? take up the ball —(also: pick up the ball and run with it) take one’s turn in smth.: Unfortunately, it’s not likely I’ll be able to respond at greater length…. But perhaps others will take up the ball . dropout • fallout dropout—1. a person who “drops out” from a course of study or from society: Many dropouts leave school long before their senior year. The ninth grade year is a particularly difficult year for students. 2. (attrib.) is used of people who leave a course of study, membership of a society, etc.: Is there a correlation between the dropout rate and the amount of money a school district spends? fallout—1. radioactive dust or particles (created by a nuclear explosion): Measurements were made on the concentration of fallout in the atmosphere and in rain water. 2. lasting negative consequences of an event or situation: Our ability to have as much sugar as we crave has had serious fallout on the health of Americans. 3. = dropout 2: Main reasons for this high fallout rate: financial difficulties, lack of interest, parental resistance to “useless” further education. dry blanket • wet blanket dry blanket—(Austral. sl.)—said of a hot afternoon or day: It’s like a bloody dry blanket in here today. wet blanket—(coll.) a person who discourages enthusiasm or cheerfulness: Jane would spoil the whole thing; she is such a wet blanket . duck shoot • shoot ahead of the duck duck shoot—(U.S. coll.) a very easy task: The market gets crowded after midday and is a duck-shoot for pickpockets. shoot ahead of the duck—think and plan ahead; try to an- ticipate future tendencies: When you adopt a new technology, shoot ahead of the duck . Look at what you do today in terms of longer trends… due for something • due to something due for something—said of smth. expected as set by agree- ment, etc.: He is due for work in India, which he is looking forward to. due to something —1. caused by smth.: This change of mean- ing is due to misunderstanding the nature of the word. 2. ap- propriate to smth.; right for smth.: He is too conscious of what is due to his position. dumb as a fox • dumb as a stump dumb as a fox—smart and cunning: He may appear to be harmless, but the truth is, he is as dumb as a fox , and he and his gang are destroying this country. dumb as a stump —(derog.) not very smart: I think Philip is as dumb as a stump . He should open his eyes and see that his sweet little Belle is just using him. dust bowl • dustpan dust bowl—said of an area that has no vegetation because of drought, dust storms, etc.: The worst of the storms were concentrated in an area called the dust bowl by the people of the time. dustpan —a short-handled pan or scoop into which dust is swept: The tiny shards of near-powdered glass won’t easily brush into the dustpans . Note: The compound does not correlate in meaning with dust- bin—a container for household rubbish: To prevent the toilets from getting blocked, materials like paper and cotton should be thrown in the dustbin . E each and every one • each one each and every one —(emphatic) every individual or thing in a group without exception: I want each and every one of you to know that this administration recognizes the vital role you play. each one—(of two or more people or things) every one taken separately: But as great a day as this is for the whole church, I want us to reflect upon what it means to each one of us in- dividually. each to his own • every man for himself each to his own —is used to say that it is acceptable for people to have different preferences: “I find it hard to believe that anyone enjoys gardening.” “Ah well, each to his own .” every man for himself—said of people trying to save them- selves from a difficult situation without trying to help anyone else: “It was not the behaviour of a friend.” “My dear boy,” he said. “Have you not yet learnt that it’s every man for him - self ?” eagle vulture • vulturine eagle eagle vulture —a large black-and-white western African bird (Gypohierax angolensis): You should also see herons and eagle – 109 – eagle vulture