Meaning of have the drop on | Babel Free

Definitions

To possess an advantage over another person, by acting before that person.

broadly, informal, transitive

Examples

“They had the drop on us and I had the feeling normally associated with nakedness. But they did not seem keen to take the plunge.”

“It was evident that Buck, after coming so near without discovering any remaining signs of life in his intended victim, was totally unprepared for the swift action which had placed him at a disadvantage. Craig unquestionably had the drop on him.”

“I had the drop on him, I knew it would be easy to pop him . . . but System Pigs were always tougher to kill than you thought. They always turned out to be luckier than they had right to be.”

CEFR level