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Free sign upThe phrase 'we dropped the ball' is a perfectly valid and common phrase to use in written English.
It is used to indicate that someone has failed to do something that was expected, or to indicate a mistake. For example: "We dropped the ball by not including the project deadline in the email."
Idiom
Drop the ball.
If someone drops the ball, they are not doing their job or taking their responsibilities seriously enough and let something go wrong.
Exact(26)
We dropped the ball.
We dropped the ball, and they're running with it.
"We dropped the ball on this one," Ms. Ashmun said.
"But we dropped the ball, let's face it".
He also admitted that the company wasn't prepared for the crisis, "and we dropped the ball".
We arranged for friends and family to help, but sometimes we dropped the ball.
Similar(31)
But some problems are frustrating in another way: we know how to fix them and we can afford to fix them, but we drop the ball.
These are aspects of our lives where, if we drop the ball, there are clear-cut consequences.
As we do with our photo issue every year, every day from now until whenever we drop the ball or get tired of doing it, we'll be posting an interview with the day's featured photographer.
And if we haven't, then we've dropped the ball – or missed the boat.
"We are extremely sorry that we had dropped the ball on checking our material.
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Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.
Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com