Idiom
drop the ball
Meanings
To make a mistake or fail to handle a responsibility properly.
To fail to take action at the right time, causing a problem or missed opportunity.
Definition
To drop the ball means to make a mistake or fail to do something important that you were responsible for.
If you drop the ball, you fail to do your job properly or miss an important step. It often suggests you had responsibility and didn’t follow through. People use it for mistakes at work, in plans, or in communication, not just in sports.
Examples
- I really dropped the ball by forgetting to send the invoice.
- They dropped the ball on customer support this week.
- Don’t drop the ball during the handoff between teams.
- We dropped the ball and missed the application deadline.
More at B2 level
- Bob's your uncle Used to say that something will be easy or will happen exactly as expected after a simple step.
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- ballpark figure A ballpark figure is an approximate number or estimate, not an exact one.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- cheap as chips Very cheap; costing very little money.
More idiom (verb phrase)s
- touch base To touch base means to briefly contact someone to share a quick update or confirm plans.
- take the mickey To take the mickey means to tease someone or make fun of them in a not-too-serious way.
- have a chinwag To have a chinwag means to have a friendly, informal chat with someone.
- face the music To accept and deal with the unpleasant consequences of your actions or a difficult situation.
- get down to brass tacks To get down to brass tacks means to start discussing the most important practical details of someth…