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drop the ball. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
drop the ball, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
drop the ball in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
drop the ball you have here. The definition of the word
drop the ball will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
drop the ball, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
An allusion to the rules of such games as baseball, American football or cricket wherein literally dropping the ball would be a mistake.
Pronunciation
Verb
drop the ball (third-person singular simple present drops the ball, present participle dropping the ball, simple past and past participle dropped the ball)
- (idiomatic) To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.
- 1996 Dec. 13, Peter Stack, "Tom and ‘Jerry’ Make a Great Team" (film review of Jerry Maguire), San Francisco Chronicle (retrieved 21 Sept 2013):
- The movie ought to sputter out here, but Crowe and Cruise don't drop the ball.
- Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see drop, ball.
Synonyms
Translations
fail in one’s responsibilities
See also
References
- “drop the ball” in the Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.