Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DROP, v.i.

1. To distill; to fall in small portions, globules or drops, as a liquid. Water drops from the clouds or from the eaves.
2. To let drops fall; to discharge itself in drops. The heavens dropped at the presence of God. – Ps. lxviii.
3. To fall; to descend suddenly or abruptly.
4. To fall spontaneously; as, ripe fruit drops from a tree.
5. To die, or to die suddenly. We see one friend after another dropping round us. They drop into the grave.
6. To come to an end; to cease; to be neglected and come to nothing; as, the affair dropped.
7. To come unexpectedly; with in or into; as, my old friend dropped in, a moment.
8. To fall short of a mark. [Not usual.]. Often it drops or overshoots. – Collier.
9. To fall lower; as, the point of the spear dropped a little.
10. To be deep in extent. Her main top-sail drops seventeen yards. – Mar. Dict. To drop astern, in seamen's language, is to pass or move toward the stern; to move back; or to slacken the velocity of a vessel to let another beyond her. To drop down, in seamen's language, is to sail, row, or move down a river, or toward the sea.