a short drop and a sudden stop
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
a quick and severe punishment or consequence
Literally: hanging with a short rope
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “a short drop and a sudden stop” mean?
a quick and severe punishment or consequence Literally: hanging with a short rope
Is “a short drop and a sudden stop” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.