Definition of Drop back

1. Verb. Take position in the rear, as in a military formation or in the line of scrimmage in football. "The defender dropped back behind his teammate"

Generic synonyms: Move

2. Verb. To lag or linger behind. "But in so many other areas we still are dragging"
Exact synonyms: Drag, Drop Behind, Get Behind, Hang Back, Trail
Generic synonyms: Dawdle, Fall Back, Fall Behind, Lag
Derivative terms: Trailer

Definition of Drop back

1. Verb. (American football) Of a quarterback or other player in the backfield, to take a number of steps back from the line of scrimmage immediately after the snap or hike of the ball, to avoid defenders. ¹

2. Noun. (American football) The act by a player in the backfield of dropping back from the line of scrimmage after the hike of the ball. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Drop Back

drop-off charge
drop-offs
drop-out
drop-seed
drop a bollock
drop a bombshell
drop a brick
drop a dime
drop a hint
drop a line
drop acid
drop anchor
drop arch
drop away
drop back (current term)
drop backs
drop bear
drop bears
drop behind
drop biscuit
drop by
drop by the wayside
drop cap
drop ceiling
drop cloth
drop curtain
drop dead
drop down
drop earring

Literary usage of Drop back

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Gymnastic Teaching by William Skarstrom (1921)
"Half right circle left leg, half left circle right leg to back rest; drop back with heels to bar, on return swing shoot up to back rest; dismount forward. ..."

2. Navaho Legends by Washington Matthews (1897)
"drop back! " and catch the eyes as they descended in their proper sockets. ... drop back ! " he cried. But back they never came, and he sat there with his ..."

3. All the Children of All the People: A Study of the Attempt to Educate Everybody by William Hawley Smith (1912)
"But for the most part they drop back and back in the grades, ... As a rule, they drop back if they cannot "pass examination," and they rarely can pass ..."

4. Postal Salaries: Hearings, Sixty-sixth Congress, First [second] Session by United States, Congress, Joint Commission on Postal Salaries (1920)
"Mr. Commissioner, it isn't the 60 cents entrance fee that is hurting, but the men won't take that job, an efficient man, and drop back to 40 cents an hour ..."

5. Modern Seamanship by Austin Melvin Knight (1921)
"If you find yourself running up on your leader, you should of course sheer out onto his quarter until he draws away or you drop back. ..."

6. Proceedings by Philadelphia County Medical Society (1896)
"drop back, with redevelopment of the old condition. In patients who are likely to become pregnant subsequently, it would seem to be a better plan of ..."

7. Transactions by Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (U.S.) (1893)
"... up on us and drop back, come up aud drop back. Of course, I was not on the Tashmoo. I had never seen her except at a distance, but I had the impression ..."

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