drop the ball
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb (idiomatic): To make a serious mistake; to fail to do something correctly or to fulfill a responsibility, especially at a critical moment.
Usage
This phrase is used to describe a situation where someone fails to perform a task properly, often resulting in negative consequences. It implies a lapse in judgment, attention, or execution.
Examples
- The manager dropped the ball by forgetting to send the crucial report before the deadline.
- Our defense dropped the ball in the final minutes of the game, allowing the other team to score.
- I really dropped the ball on organizing the meeting; I didn't book a room or send out an agenda.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often carries a sense of letting others down or failing to meet expectations within a team or system.
- It can be used in various tenses: "drop the ball" (present/future), "dropped the ball" (past), "dropping the ball" (continuous).
Variants and Related Words
- Ball-dropping (noun, informal): The act of making such a mistake.
- That missed email was a serious ball-dropping on our part.
Synonyms
- Blunder
- Err
- Slip up
- Mess up
- Fumble
Related Idioms
- Let the ball drop: A less common variant with the same meaning.
- We can't afford to let the ball drop on this client account.
- Fumble the ball: Literally from sports (like American football), used figuratively with a very similar meaning to "drop the ball."
- He fumbled the ball during the presentation by getting the key figures wrong.
Verb
- commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake
- I blundered during the job interview