Definition

1. Noun:

   • A short, hollow, somewhat muffled sound: The sound made when a solid object, typically one with a rounded shape, falls into water or onto a soft surface without a splash.
   • The act of falling with such a sound: The event of something dropping and making this specific noise.

2. Verb (transitive and intransitive):

   • To fall or drop with a "plop" sound: To move downward and hit a surface, producing a short, dull, thudding noise, often associated with liquid.
   • To set or drop something heavily or carelessly: To put something down in a way that creates this sound.

3. Adverb:

   • With a plop: Describes an action that happens with the characteristic "plop" sound.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The stone disappeared into the pond with a quiet plop.
  • I heard a plop as the ripe fruit fell from the tree.

• Verb (intransitive):

  • The frog plopped into the muddy water.
  • A big raindrop plopped onto my book.

• Verb (transitive):

  • She plopped her heavy bag on the floor.
  • He plopped himself down on the couch, exhausted.

• Adverb:

  • The ice cube fell plop into the glass.

Advanced Usage

• "to plop down": To sit or lie down heavily and without ceremony.

  • After the long hike, we just plopped down on the grass.

• Onomatopoeic Use: "Plop" is a classic example of onomatopoeia, where the word phonetically imitates the sound it describes. This makes it very vivid in descriptive writing.

  • The writer described the sound of the pebble as a definitive plop.

Variants and Related Words

• Plonk (verb, informal): To put something down heavily or carelessly. Similar to the transitive use of "plop."
  • He plonked the groceries on the kitchen counter.

Synonyms

• Noun: Splash, thud, plunk, kerplunk.
• Verb: Drop, plunk, flop, slump, thud.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Plop down: As shown in advanced usage, this phrasal verb emphasizes the action of sitting or placing something down heavily.
  • The child plopped down in front of the television.

Related Idioms

• While "plop" itself is not commonly the basis for idioms, it is frequently used in descriptive phrases that paint a clear auditory picture.
  • The news hit him like a stone plopping into a still pond—unexpected and creating ripples.

Adverb

1. with a short hollow thud
   • plop came the ball down to the corner of the green

Noun

1. the noise of a rounded object dropping into a liquid without a splash

Verb

1. set (something or oneself) down with or as if with a noise
   • He planked the money on the table
   • He planked himself into the sofa
2. drop with the sound of something falling into water
3. drop something with a plopping sound