Definition

1. Noun:
   • A large piece of cloth laid over the floor or furniture while a room is being painted: A protective covering used to catch paint drips and splatters during painting projects.
   • A curtain that can be lowered and raised onto a stage from the flies; often used as background scenery: A large piece of fabric used in theater as a backdrop or scenic element, typically operated from above the stage.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Protective covering):
  • Before painting the ceiling, we spread a drop cloth over the entire floor.
  • The painter carefully placed a drop cloth over the sofa to protect it from spills.
• Noun (Theatrical curtain):
  • The stagehand lowered the blue drop cloth to create a sky background for the scene.
  • The production used several painted drop cloths to quickly change the setting.

Advanced Usage

• "to use a drop cloth": To employ a protective cloth.
  • It is essential to use a drop cloth when staining wood indoors.
• "to lower/raise the drop cloth": To move the theatrical curtain.
  • The scene transition was signaled by raising the main drop cloth.

Variants and Related Words

• Drop curtain (n): Another term for the theatrical drop cloth, especially one that falls or is lowered.
• Dust sheet (n, chiefly British): A cloth used to cover furniture for protection, similar to a protective drop cloth.
• Backdrop (n): A painted cloth or set wall at the back of a stage; a synonym for the theatrical sense of drop cloth.

Synonyms

• Protective covering: Tarpaulin, dust cover, sheeting.
• Theatrical curtain: Backdrop, scrim, cyclorama.

Related Phrases

• "Painters' drop cloth": Specifies the protective type, often made of canvas or plastic.
  • A heavy-duty canvas painters' drop cloth is more durable than a plastic one.
• "Stage drop": A shortened form referring to the theatrical drop cloth.
  • The stage drop for the forest scene was beautifully painted.

Noun

1. a large piece of cloth laid over the floor or furniture while a room is being painted
2. a curtain that can be lowered and raised onto a stage from the flies; often used as background scenery