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Glite Dictionary
to drop a line

to drop a line

9 3.2
To send a short message to keep in touch
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : mandar un mensaje
  • Give me his address, and I'll drop him a line.
  • just drop a line
  • drop me a line on Twitter
  • want to drop a line

Examples

  • And drop me a line when you get there, okay?

    Taking Woodstock (2009)

  • If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line at laughingfood@gmail.com!

    Blog text (11)

  • But drop a line now and then.

    Starhops (1978)

  • Good luck to you, and drop me a line any time.

    Blog text (8)

  • And as always, if you have your own question to ask the Name Lady, drop her a line!

    Blog text (27)

  • I'll drop you a line at some future point to let you know how it went.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • I answer all of my messages, so if I can help at all, then drop me a line.

    Blog text (19)

  • Drop me a line sometime.

    Face/Off (1997)

  • If you've found something interesting, or just want to say 'Hi!', then drop me a line.

    Blog text (17)

  • Please drop a line to let me know how you are doing.

Synonyms

to contact
vsto drop a line
∞ 2.5

To communicate with someone by phone or writing

is specifically a short personal note to maintain friendship
to write
vsto drop a line
926 1.0

Send a letter or message to someone

is used for brief friendly updates rather than formal letters
to get in touch
vsto drop a line
155 2.3

Contact someone after not talking for a while

is usually a brief friendly message used during ongoing contact
to make contact
vsto drop a line
113 2.8

To get in touch with someone after a time without talking

focuses on maintaining regular small personal messages, not first contact
to message
vsto drop a line
  • Texting
26 2.3

To send someone a short note by email, text, or chat

is mainly a brief personal note for staying in contact
to ping
vsto drop a line
  • Texting
10 4.1

To send someone a short electronic message to get their attention

is more like a friendly short message to keep relation alive
to shoot off
vsto drop a line
  • Informal
3 4.1

To send a message quickly without much thought

is more about a friendly check-in than speed or haste
to shoot a line
vsto drop a line
  • Informal
1 8.3

To send a short message to someone by phone or text

is a short note mainly to keep regular personal contact
to txt
vsto drop a line
  • Texting
6.2

To send a short written message to someone's phone

is a short written note used to keep in touch

How Formal

to mail
247 1.0
to write
926 1.0
to drop a line
9 3.2

Surface Forms

drop a line infinitive
dropped a line past
dropped a line past participle
dropping a line present participle
drops a line third person singular

Morphology

drop + a + line

The overall meaning can be pieced together from the parts—'line' can mean a short message and 'drop' is used figuratively to mean 'send casually'—but the transfer of 'drop' from physical release to 'send a message' is metaphorical. A B1 learner who knows both senses may infer the meaning, but this usage relies on a non-literal extension and a somewhat idiomatic collocation, so it is not fully transparent.

Etymology

The phrase drop a line may come from the small act of writing one short line and droping it into a friend's mailbox. So today drop a line means 'to send a short message or note to keep in touch'.