drooping
drooping — adjective
1. hanging or bending down because weight, tiredness, or lack of water pulls it low
hanging or bending down because weight, tiredness, or lack of water pulls it lower than usual.
By noon, the drooping sunflower heads were touching the dry garden fence.
collocation: drooping sunflower heads
The rabbit had drooping ears and sleepy eyes after the long trip.
attributive: drooping ears
After two hot days, the drooping lettuce leaves needed water at once.
Zola noticed the actor's drooping shoulders as the sad news ended rehearsal.
文法句型
drooping + noun
look/seem drooping
用法筆記
Often used for plants, body parts, or posture when something that should stay up now hangs lower and looks tired or heavy.
常見錯誤
drooping — verb
1. to hang or bend lower than usual because something is soft, tired, wet, or not f
to hang or bend lower than usual because something is soft, tired, wet, or not fully supported.
Wet laundry began to droop from the line after the evening rain.
pattern: droop from + noun
Yuna's head drooped over the desk during the last ten minutes.
pattern: droop over + noun
The old flag drooped above the school gate on windless days.
Saira watched the houseplant droop when the soil turned hard.
文法句型
droop from + noun
droop over + noun
droop + adverb
用法筆記
Used when the shape of a thing or body part changes and points lower than before. Common subjects are heads, shoulders, flags, leaves, and flowers.
常見錯誤
2. to fall gradually to a lower level in strength, sound, amount, or position.
to fall gradually to a lower level in strength, sound, amount, or position.
Ticket sales drooped after the team lost three home games.
figurative subject: sales drooped
Gabriel's voice drooped at the end of the long speech.
figurative subject: voice drooped
Energy levels drooped in the office during the hot afternoon.
The little boat drooped lower in the water after more boxes were loaded.
文法句型
droop + adverb
prices/sales/voice droop
droop lower
用法筆記
This sense is less common and slightly literary. It often describes a slow downward change in business, energy, sound, or physical level.
常見錯誤
3. to become low in energy, hope, or cheerfulness, so that someone or a group's moo
to become low in energy, hope, or cheerfulness, so that someone or a group's mood feels weaker.
Jack drooped after another hospital delay canceled the family visit.
pattern: droop after + event
Team spirit drooped when the coach announced the final cut.
figurative subject: spirit drooped
Nora's mood drooped during the gray week before exams began.
Even the usually cheerful waiter drooped after the dinner rush.
文法句型
droop after + noun
spirits/mood droop
droop during + noun
用法筆記
This sense focuses on a person's inner energy or mood becoming weak. It often appears after bad news, delay, disappointment, or long effort.
常見錯誤
4. to let something hang lower or to move it into a lower, less supported position.
to let something hang lower or to move it into a lower, less supported position.
The guard drooped the flag halfway when the memorial service began.
transitive use: droop + object
Dewi drooped the paper lanterns lower so children could reach them.
pattern: droop + object + lower
The photographer drooped the studio lights to soften the actor's face.
During the scene, Lotte drooped one shoulder to look more tired.
文法句型
droop + noun phrase
droop + object + lower
用法筆記
This transitive use is uncommon. It appears when a person deliberately lowers something so that it hangs or looks less upright.
常見錯誤
drooping — noun
1. the condition or look of hanging low instead of staying upright.
the condition or look of hanging low instead of staying upright.
The tired tulips had a slight drooping by the front steps.
pattern: a slight drooping
The doctor checked the child's eyelid drooping after the bicycle fall.
collocation: eyelid drooping
Olivia laughed at the hat's dramatic drooping in the rain.
The drawing captured the gentle drooping of willow branches over water.
- sagging
more common for a downward bend caused by weight
- limpness
focuses more on lack of firmness than on shape
- downward bend
a plain descriptive phrase for the same shape
- uprightness
the state of standing or pointing straight up
- lift
an upward position rather than a hanging one
文法句型
a drooping
drooping of + noun
用法筆記
This noun is uncommon and is most often used in descriptions of posture, plants, or a medical sign such as eyelid drooping.