dead drop

plural dead drops

1. espionageA location used to secretly transfer items between two people, without requiring them to meet.

   Synonyms: dubok

2. espionageThe act of leaving an item in such a location for another person to collect.

present singular third person dead drops · participle present dead dropping · participle past dead dropped · past dead dropped

1. To leave at a dead drop for someone else to retrieve.

   Need to dead drop a note to a friend at school ?

   2006, Suzanne Francis, Protecting Your Room, Your Stuff & Your Secrets

   2 more examples

   He was concerned for her, wondering why she would dead drop items at their special spot. As he reached the tree he saw the spot they slept, the west side of the tree near a large root. Nestled under the root he found a manila envelope.

   2016, Michael Reid Jr, Debt of Fear, →ISBN

   The matchbox he used to “dead drop” his film was serviceable but primitive. His Panasonic radio allowed him only to receive messages, not send any, and the messages could be deciphered only with the help of a code pad.

   2019, Stephen Kinzer, Poisoner in Chief