droop

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈdɹuːp/ See IPA manual

Freq #42563

Meanings

1

verb
To hang or bend downward, usually because of weakness or tiredness.

The flowers began to droop in the afternoon heat.
2

verb
To lose energy, enthusiasm, or spirits.

By midnight everyone's spirits had begun to droop.
3

noun
A drooping position or shape.

He walked with a tired droop in his shoulders.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to hang or bend downward,... sag wilt

2 verb · to lose energy, enthusiasm,... flag

3 noun · a drooping position or shape. sag

Word family

Forms droopeddroops

Derived forms adroopdroopagedrooper

Simplified etymology

Droop has been used since Middle English and is related historically to the Old English word drip, as is drop.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English droupen, from Old Norse drúpa (“to droop”), from Proto-Germanic *drūpaną, *drupōną (“to hang down, drip, drop”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewb- (“to drip, drop”). Doublet of drip and drop.

droupen Middle English drúpa Old Norse *drūpaną Proto-Germanic *dʰrewb- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# droop

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɹuːp/
**Frequency rank:** 42563

## Meanings
1. To hang or bend downward, usually because of weakness or tiredness.
2. To lose energy, enthusiasm, or spirits.
3. A drooping position or shape.

## Examples
- The flowers began to droop in the afternoon heat.
- By midnight everyone's spirits had begun to droop.
- He walked with a tired droop in his shoulders.

## Derived Forms
- adroop
- droopage
- drooper

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: droupen
- Root: drúpa
- Root: *drūpaną
- Root: *dʰrewb-

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English droupen, from Old Norse drúpa (“to droop”), from Proto-Germanic *drūpaną, *drupōną (“to hang down, drip, drop”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewb- (“to drip, drop”). Doublet of drip and drop.

## AI Etymology
Droop is inherited from Middle English droupen, from Old Norse drúpa (“to droop”), from Proto-Germanic *drūpaną, *drupōną (“to hang down, drip, drop”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰrewb- (“to drip, drop”). Doublet of drip and drop. In current use, the main senses are “To hang or bend downward, usually because of weakness or tiredness” and “To lose energy, enthusiasm, or spirits”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown