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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Drop, Drope, n. Also: drap, drape. [e.m.E. drop(pe, ME. drope, OE. dropa.]

1. A drop of water or other liquid.(a) c1450 Cr. Deyng 83 (als mony as thare is dropis in the sey). c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 60/11 (ane drope of watter). Id. Mir. I. 81/12 (a drope of his blud). a1568 Bann. MS. 229 b/2 (the balmy dropis from Phebus). a1585 Maitl. Q. lxv. 43 (as the drope of water weris the stone). 1691 Lauder Jrnl. 307 (ane drope of watter).(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 23 (hevinly beriall droppis). 1513 Doug. x. Prol. 132 (a drop of thy blude). Ib. xii. Prol. 130 (sugurat hunny droppys). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9462 (scho list not drink ane drop). a1585 Maitl. Q. lxix. 11 (syluer droppis of dew).fig. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1062 (ane drop of his grete grace). c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxx. 15 (ane drop of thy grace).(c) 1596 Dalr. I. 23/27 (gret drapis of oyle). 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4379 (the devill a drap).

2. A drop or dripping of water from a roof or the eaves of a building; the point or line from or along which water drips. (Cf. Ese-drop.) 1532 Reg. Privy S. II. 167/1.
To big and set furth ane turnpyk … tua futtis furth in the winde utouth the drop of the stair of his said hous 1572 Inverness B. Rec. I. 216.
The said Alexander … suld haif the drope of the syd wall of his house libellit, callit the eaise drope 1588 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 523.
The tenement of land … wantes ane sufficient cobill to serue the droppis thairof 1595 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 566.
Tua laid sand … to mend the dropis off the alring abowe the new kirk 1601 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 290.
That in the bigging of his land … he haif speciall respect to his drops … that thai rin nocht furth upon the hie streitt 1645 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 77.
To caus the said Robert keip himselff and his wair within his owne buithe and drope 1670 Ib. III. 145.
From the croune of the calsie to the drope of … their respective foir tenementis of land

3. pl. Small shot. 1611 Crim. Trials III. 120.
The defunct was schot with peistis or dropis, with ane charget hagbut 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 590.
They … rave doun the leid … for making of drappes to their hacquebutts 1671 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 700/1.
He shot att hime with ane littill short peice he caryed loadined with draps 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 108.
For half a pund pouder … For a duzen pistoll ball … For 2 pund draps

4. = Drop wecht.(a) 1614 Rec. Earld. Orkney 382.
Send to your son … with Barnie quhen he maid his clais, 4 drop blak silk 1631 Edinb. Test. LV. 136 b.
Thrie drope weicht of gold and silver spangis at fyve schillingis the drope 1635 Haddington Corr. 298.
Sextein four-nooked truncheouris, weyand nyne pund, ten vnce, twelf drop 1651 Elgin Rec. II. 278.
The good money weyghes four wnce tua drop 1659 Conv. Burghs III. 482.
Each turner to be the weight of ane drop & ane halff 1672 Foulis Acc. Bk. 8.
For … [a] halfe drop of silk 1677 Cunningham Diary 13.
Ane old silver spoon … weighing ane ounce and 5 drop(b) 1617 Thanes of Cawdor 241.
Ane belt of gold weyand twelf wnce & twa drape 1649 Edinb. Test. LXIV. 253.
Ane gold schyne weyand ane vnce fyftene drape 1663 Ann. Banff I. 148.
His pund weight was fund tuelf drap licht 1676 Conv. Burghs III. 667.
The Hungary single doucat, wieing tuo drap bate sex grains 1691 Foulis Acc. Bk. 133.
For 4 drap Inglish purpie