pin-drop

plural pin-drops

1. figurativelyidiomaticThe sound of a small metal pin dropping onto the ground or a floor; notable because a falling pin makes almost no sound when it hits the ground except for when a setting is so quiet that even the smallest, negligible noise would be noticeable.

   [...] a frail voice said, "Hello?" sounding more like a pin-drop than a thud.

   2013, Nancy Rue, chapter 12, in Sophie and Friends, page 116

   1 more example

   Like a pin-drop in a deep ocean, the news of Amos Tutuola's death came quite unceremoniously to Nigerians early this week. His passage became almost unnoticed [...]

   1999, Owomoyela, Oyekan, chapter 7, in Amos Tutuola revisited, page 147

2. A small increment or amount.

   You have to rub the body with just one pindrop of this ointment.

   1948, Mehta Hansa, “The Story of the Brahmin”, in The Adventures Of King Vikrama, page 53

   3 more examples

   He made two preparations: one pin-drop of blood on one slide, and a lump the size of a pea spread thin on another.

   1940, A. Roothaert, dutch vet, page 404

   in his heart, a mere "pin drop" can change the perspective. Her tardiness and her getting lost a few minutes after they hung up, is already one "pin drop" too many.

   2011, Niles, J. R, Internet dating, page 192

   They also suggested I take constant antibiotics for weeks. I never had any infection, not one pin drop of pus.

   2020s, Dr Richard Schulze, “Regenerating Hones, Muscles, and Nerves”, in Save Your Life, page 399

comparative more pin-drop · superlative most pin-drop

1. Small or inconsequential.

   There were poems compiled in Havering library, or in my 'pin-drop' study, according to a Poeclectic gameplan

   2002, Petrucci, Mario, “Voices, Voices everywhere...”, in The stamina of sheep : the Havering poems, page xviii

2. Of or relating to the sound a pin makes when dropping; quiet.

   Then Harrow made an announcement in a voice loud enough to freeze the deputies in their motion, and to bring the various cameras and microphones his way again. [...] Pin-drop silence.

   2010, Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens, You Can't Stop Me