drop the ball

1. Make an error; miss an opportunity; fail.

2. To make a mistake, especially by doing something in a stupid or careless way.

3. To fail to keep working to reach a goal.

This expression comes from the game of FOOTBALL, where it's not a good thing to drop the ball when the ball is in play. It's mainly used based on failure and mistakes. So, if you want to tell someone how important it is to succeed in a particular activity, then this is a good expression to use.

MAN #2: You can trust me.

MAN #1: I don't know. Everytime I depend on you, you drop the ball.

by Mr. Terrence L. Trezvant November 20, 2006

drop the ball

Make an error; miss an opportunity; similar to pull a cootsie.

- This expression comes from sports where a player who fails to catch a ball is charged with an error.

"He'll drop the ball, if he turns down their offer."

by McBang November 07, 2006

dropped the ball

To screw up a major opportunity, that possibly comes along only once in a blue moon.

"One keg of beer, two blonde twins, a hotel room, and an endless supply of rubbers. Think he shagged them? Nope. He dropped the ball."

by D. Gould February 16, 2006

dropping the ball

When you are supposed to handle or be responsible for something and you don't follow through.

Stevan Ridley does it all the time. He just dropping the ball.

by Maghedo November 26, 2013

dropped the ball

When Randy Moss fucked The Patriots over by letting the ball slip from his fingers with less than a minute left in the 2008 Superbowl.

Randy Moss sure dropped the ball, what an epic failure.

by PatrikM February 04, 2008

dropped the ball

Someone fucking something up because they're incompentent or weren't paying attention, thusly fucking themselves and possibly others over.

Biff: Christy sure dropped the ball on this whole Christmas party thing, now I have to come in this Saturday to help decorate.
Joey: That blows dude, she should be fired.

by Gamblar December 09, 2006

drop a ball

to try so hard at something, including but not exclusively physical activity, that it seriously hurts you.

"I was tying to lift it but I didn't want to drop a ball doing it."

by DenKnis February 01, 2008