1. verb To die suddenly. Brett always seemed so healthy—I'm shocked that he dropped dead at age 55.

2. rude slang An expression of dismissal and contempt for someone. I'm not cleaning up your mess! Drop dead!

3. adjective Spectacularly or sensationally striking, impressive, or awe-inspiring. Used before a noun. In this usage, if is often hyphenated. To flaunt his success, he always shows up in a flashy car with a drop-dead beauty in the passenger seat. She strode into the room wearing a drop-dead dress that made every head turn.

4. adjective Rudely dismissive or disdainful. Used before a noun. In this usage, if is often hyphenated. The politician eventually tempered his drop-dead attitude, indicating that he was willing to work with the groups that had been protesting his proposed legislation.

5. adverb Sensationally; spectacularly; outstandingly. Used before an adjective. In this usage, if is often hyphenated. He was kind of a pudgy, dorky looking kid in high school, but I just saw him at the reunion and he is drop-dead gorgeous now!