# drop through

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/drop-through
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to fall through a hole or an opening from a higher place to a lower one.

For teachers: to fall or pass through an aperture or opening, typically due to gravity; can also be used figuratively in digital contexts to describe data or messages moving through a system.

## Examples

- The coin dropped through the slot in the machine.
- A small letter dropped through the mail slot and landed softly on the hallway carpet.
- The rescue team watched helplessly as the heavy equipment dropped through the weakened ice into the freezing water below.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The keys dropped through of the grate." but "The keys dropped through the grate." — 'through' is a preposition here and does not require 'of' before the object.

## Usage notes

- usually followed by a noun phrase describing the opening or the space being passed through.
- Teaching tip: distinguish from 'fall through' (which often means a plan failed); 'drop through' is more literal and physical, though it can appear in technical contexts like 'drop through to the next layer'.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.