dropping
HighNeutral to informal (depending on sense)
Definition
Meaning
The act of letting something fall or descend; ceasing to hold or support.
A decrease in amount, level, or intensity; the act of omitting or discontinuing something; small roundish lumps of animal excrement.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a gerund/noun, it covers physical falling, reduction, omission, and animal waste. The 'waste' sense is informal and often plural ('droppings').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'dropping' is consistent. The verb 'drop' is used identically. The noun 'droppings' (animal waste) is common in both.
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties. 'Dropping out' (of school) may have slightly stronger negative connotations in more formal UK contexts.
Frequency
Comparably high frequency in both. The phrasal verb 'drop by/round' (visit) is slightly more common in US speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + is dropping + [Object] (e.g., The temperature is dropping.)[Subject] + dropped + [Object] + [Prepositional Phrase] (e.g., He dropped the book on the floor.)[Subject] + drop + [Person] + [Preposition] + [Place] (e.g., Can you drop me at the station?)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Like a hot potato”
- “Drop the ball”
- “A drop in the ocean”
- “At the drop of a hat”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to falling prices, sales, or profits (e.g., 'a dropping market').
Academic
Used for statistical decreases or the act of omitting data/participants (e.g., 'dropping outliers from the study').
Everyday
Common for temperature, objects, or visits (e.g., 'I'm dropping by later').
Technical
In computing, refers to discarding data packets. In aviation, refers to altitude loss or parachute deployment.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The leaves are dropping from the trees.
- He's dropping his sister at the station.
- They're dropping the idea due to costs.
American English
- She's dropping the class this semester.
- Can you drop the package at the post office?
- Stocks are dropping after the news.
adverb
British English
- This usage is rare to non-standard. 'Drop' is not typically used as an adverb.
American English
- This usage is rare to non-standard. 'Drop' is not typically used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- We observed the dropping temperature with concern.
- The dropping attendance figures worried the organisers.
American English
- The dropping poll numbers alarmed the campaign.
- A dropping barometer often signals a storm.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The apple is dropping from the tree.
- He is dropping his pen.
- It is dropping cold outside.
- She is dropping her brother at school today.
- The price of bread is dropping.
- Be careful not to drop the glass.
- The government is considering dropping the proposed tax.
- After dropping sharply in the morning, shares stabilised.
- He has a habit of name-dropping famous acquaintances.
- The researcher justified dropping the anomalous data points from the final analysis.
- The singer's voice was dropping into a gravelly contralto.
- A sudden dropping of diplomatic relations followed the incident.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a water DROP PINGing as it hits the ground -> DROP-PING.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECREASE IS DOWN (e.g., prices dropped); OMITTING IS LETTING GO (e.g., dropping a subject); CASUALNESS IS LETTING FALL (e.g., dropping in).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'dropping a course' as 'бросая курс' in the sense of physically throwing; use 'бросить/перестать посещать курс'.
- The noun 'droppings' (animal waste) is not the plural of a general 'drop'; it's a specific lexical item ('помёт').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'dropping' instead of 'falling' for involuntary descent of a person (e.g., 'He was dropping from the ladder' is odd; use 'falling').
- Overusing the continuous form for scheduled events (e.g., 'The meeting is dropping at 3 PM' is incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'dropping' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While often used for decreases or losses (negative), it can be neutral (dropping an anchor) or positive (dropping a bad habit).
'Dropping' often implies a degree of agency, control, or release (someone drops something). 'Falling' is more general and often involuntary (leaves fall, a person falls).
Yes, as a gerund (e.g., 'The dropping of the weapon was sudden.') or in specific compounds (e.g., 'name-dropping'). The animal waste sense is almost always plural ('droppings').
It is grammatically correct but highly context-dependent. It could mean 'I am decreasing' or 'I am visiting casually' ('I'm dropping by'). Without context, it is ambiguous.
Explore