drop out — to leave school, college, or university before completing a course of study
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to leave school, college, or university before completing a course of study
Pronunciation (IPA): /drɑːp aʊt/
Example Sentences
- Steve Jobs famously dropped out of college but still attended classes that interested him.
- My cat seems to have dropped out of obedience school - she still ignores every command I give her.
- The startup founder dropped out of Harvard in his sophomore year to pursue his business idea.
drop out
VERB[/drɑːp aʊt/]
to leave school, college, or university before completing a course of study
He decided to drop out of college to chase his music dream.
Don't drop out to cop out, drop out to opt out!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrasal verb emerged in the mid-19th century from the combination of 'drop' (to fall or let fall) and 'out' (away, outside). Initially denoting the physical action of falling outward, it acquired its educational meaning in 1960s America, when it became widely used to describe withdrawing from school or university.
Breakdown
drop (to fall or descend) + out (away from, outside of). The combination evolved from literal physical motion to metaphorical social withdrawal.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Steve Jobs famously dropped out of college but still attended classes that interested him.”
“My cat seems to have dropped out of obedience school - she still ignores every command I give her.”
“The startup founder dropped out of Harvard in his sophomore year to pursue his business idea.”
“I wanted to drop out of my diet plan after seeing the chocolate cake in the cafeteria.”
📚Related Words
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