Drop | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Drōp, n.

noun

n. [A-S. dropa, drypa, O. Sax. dropo, D. drop, Icel. dropi, Sw. droppe, Dan. draabe, O. H. Ger. tropfo, N. H. Ger. tropfen. See infra.]

The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical mass; a liquid globule; hence, also, the smallest easily measured portion of a fluid; as, a drop of water.
That which resembles, or that which hangs like, a liquid drop, as a hanging diamond ornament, an ear-ring, a glass pendant on a chandelier, a transparent sugar-plum, a kind of shot or slug.
(Arch.) One of a number of small cylinders, or truncated cones, used, in the Doric order, as ornamental appendages to the under sides of the mutules, and also applied to the lower extremity of the triglyphs;—called also gutta.
Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an elevated position; as, (a.) A door or platform opening downward; a trap-door; that part of the gallows on which a culprit stands when he is to be hung, &c. (b.) A machine for lowering heavy weights, as packages, coal-wagons, &c., to a ship’s deck. (c.) A contrivance for temporarily lowering a gas-jet. (d.) A curtain which drops or falls in front of the stage of a theater, &c. (e.) A drop press. (f.) (Mach.) The distance of a shaft below the base of a hanger.
(pl.) Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops.
(Naut.) The depth of a sail from head to foot amidships. Ogilvie.

Drōp, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. DROPPED (drŏpt); p. pr. & vb. n. DROPPING.] [A-S. dreopan, dropian, drupian, D. druipen, Icel. dreypa, drupa (dryp), Sw. drypa, Dan. dryppe. Cf. DRIP.]

Sense 1. To pour or let fall in drops; to pour in minute globules; to distill.

The trees drop balsam, and on all the boughs Health sits, and makes it sovereign as it flows. Creech.

Sense 2. To cause to descend suddenly and in one portion, or in motion, like a drop; to let fall; as, to drop a line in fishing; to drop an anchor.

Sense 3. To let go; to dismiss; to set aside; to have done with; to discontinue; as, to drop a controversy or an acquaintance. “They suddenly dropped the pursuit.” Sharp.

The connection had been dropped many years. W. Scott.

Sense 4. To bestow or communicate by a suggestion, or an indirect, cautious, or gentle manner; as, to drop a hint, a word of counsel, &c.

Sense 5. To lower, as a curtain or the muzzle of a gun, and the like.

Sense 6. To send by dropping into the post-office box, as a letter; as, please drop me a line.

Sense 7. To cover with drops; to speckle; to variegate; to bedrop.

Show to the sun their waved coats dropped with gold. Milton.

Drōp, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To distill; to fall in small portions, globules, or drops, as a liquid. The kindly dew drops from the higher tree, And wets the little plants that lowly dwell. Spenser. 2. To let drops fall; to discharge itself in drops. The heavens dropped at the presence of God. Ps. lxviii. 8. 3. To descend suddenly, abruptly, or spontaneously; as, ripe fruit drops from a tree. When the sound of dropping nuts is heard. Bryant. 4. To die, or to die suddenly. Nothing, says Seneca, so soon reconciles us to the thought of our own death, as the prospect of one friend after another dropping around us. Digby.

To come to an end; to cease; as, the affair dropped. Pope.
To come unexpectedly;—with in or into; as, my old friend dropped in a moment. Steele.
To fall or be depressed; to lower; as, the point of the spear dropped a little.
To fall short of a mark. [Rare.]

Often it drops or overshoots by the disproportion of distance. Collier. 9. (Naut.) To be deep in extent; as, her main topsail drops seventeen yards. Dropping fire (Mil.), a constant, irregular discharge of small arms.—To drop astern (Naut.), to pass or move toward the stern; to move back; or to slacken the velocity of a vessel, to let another pass beyond her.—To drop down (Naut.), to sail, row, or move down a river, or toward the sea.