cropper: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal (for the idiomatic sense); Technical (for the agricultural/machine sense).
Quick answer
What does “cropper” mean?
A person or machine that harvests crops.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A person or machine that harvests crops.
A significant, often sudden, failure or downfall (primarily in the idiom 'come a cropper'). Also refers to a type of pigeon with a large crop.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The idiom 'come a cropper' is predominantly British. Americans are more likely to use alternatives like 'take a spill' or 'fail spectacularly'. The agricultural sense is understood but less common in AmE.
Connotations
In BrE, the idiom has a slightly old-fashioned, informal, and sometimes humorous connotation. In AmE, the word is rare outside technical contexts.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but significantly higher in BrE due to the survival of the idiom.
Grammar
How to Use “cropper” in a Sentence
[Verb] a cropper (come/go/fall)[Adjective] cropper (mechanical)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The new startup came a cropper when their funding was pulled.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical studies of agriculture ('The introduction of the mechanical cropper').
Everyday
'Careful on that wet floor, or you'll come a cropper!'
Technical
The combine harvester acts as both a thresher and a cropper.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cropper”
Strong
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cropper”
- Using 'cropper' as a standard synonym for 'failure' outside the idiom (e.g., 'The project was a total cropper' is non-standard). Confusing 'cropper' with 'cropped' (as in hair).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is low-frequency. Its main use is in the fixed idiom 'come a cropper', which is informal and somewhat old-fashioned but still understood.
No, this is a common mistake. The meaning of 'failure' is only activated within the idiom 'come a cropper'. You cannot say 'The event was a cropper.'
It likely comes from hunting jargon, where 'neck and crop' meant 'altogether' or 'forcibly'. 'Cropper' here relates to 'crop' as in a bird's craw, and the phrase originally meant to fall neck and head first.
No significant difference. 'Come a cropper' is the standard, modern form. 'Go a cropper' is an older variant but means the same thing.
A person or machine that harvests crops.
Cropper is usually informal (for the idiomatic sense); technical (for the agricultural/machine sense). in register.
Cropper: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɒpə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɑːpər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “come a cropper (to fall or fail badly)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CROP PERson (Cropper) who falls over while harvesting, thus 'coming a cropper'.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS A FALL/FALLING (embodied in 'come a cropper'). AGRICULTURE IS PRODUCTION.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common contemporary use of 'cropper' in British English?