Dropped

Dropped is the past tense and past participle of the verb drop, meaning to let something fall or to cause it to fall. It can describe a physical release, such as dropping a box, as well as the removal or cessation of something, like dropping a service or a rule. In addition to literal fall, dropped can convey reduced height, lowered levels, or completed actions in the past. It also appears as an adjective in various phrases, for example dropped anchors, dropped temperatures, or a dropped call.

Etymology and usage: The verb drop is of Germanic origin and has cognates in other Germanic languages. The -ed form dropped follows the standard English past tense pattern. The noun drop refers to a small amount of liquid that has fallen or a droplet, and is related to the verb sense through the idea of a fallen piece of liquid.

Common contexts: In everyday language, dropped is used to describe completed past actions, such as “She dropped the glass.” Idiomatic expressions include “drop a hint,” meaning to reveal information indirectly; “drop out,” meaning to withdraw; and “drop the ball,” meaning to fail at a task. In technology and media, terms like “dropped frames” or “packet drops” describe data that was not processed or displayed. In entertainment, “the album dropped” is a colloquial way to say it was released. In safety and testing, a “drop test” assesses how well a product withstands being dropped.

See also: drop, drop out, drop frame, drop test, drop rate.