English

Verb

drop the ball

1. (idiomatic) To fail in one's responsibilities or duties, or to make a mistake, especially at a critical point or when the result is very negative.
   • 1996 Dec. 13, Peter Stack, "Tom and ‘Jerry’ Make a Great Team" (film review of Jerry Maguire), San Franciso Chronicle (retrieved 21 Sept 2013):

     The movie ought to sputter out here, but Crowe and Cruise don't drop the ball.

Synonyms

• fall on one's face, **** up, **** the pooch

Translations

References

• “drop the ball” in the Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.