morning drop
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The gallows. He napped the king's pardon and escaped the morning drop; he was pardoned, and was not hanged.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “morning drop” mean?
The gallows. He napped the king's pardon and escaped the morning drop; he was pardoned, and was not hanged.
Is “morning drop” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.