垂幕

[ noun ]
a curtain that can be lowered and raised onto a stage from the flies; often used as background scenery
<noun.artifact>

Drop \Drop\ (dr[o^]p), n. [OE. drope, AS. dropa; akin to OS.
dropo, D. drop, OHG. tropo, G. tropfen, Icel. dropi, Sw.
droppe; and Fr. AS. dre['o]pan to drip, drop; akin to OS.
driopan, D. druipen, OHG. triofan, G. triefen, Icel.
drj[=u]pa. Cf. {Drip}, {Droop}.]
1. The quantity of fluid which falls in one small spherical
mass; a liquid globule; a minim; hence, also, the smallest
easily measured portion of a fluid; a small quantity; as,
a drop of water.

With minute drops from off the eaves. --Milton.

As dear to me as are the ruddy drops
That visit my sad heart. -- Shak.

That drop of peace divine. --Keble.

2. That which resembles, or that which hangs like, a liquid
drop; as a hanging diamond ornament, an earring, a glass
pendant on a chandelier, a sugarplum (sometimes
medicated), or a kind of shot or slug.

3. (Arch.)
(a) Same as {Gutta}.
(b) Any small pendent ornament.

4. Whatever is arranged to drop, hang, or fall from an
elevated position; also, a contrivance for lowering
something; as:
(a) A door or platform opening downward; a trap door; that
part of the gallows on which a culprit stands when he
is to be hanged; hence, the gallows itself.
(b) A machine for lowering heavy weights, as packages,
coal wagons, etc., to a ship's deck.
(c) A contrivance for temporarily lowering a gas jet.
(d) A curtain which drops or falls in front of the stage
of a theater, etc.
(e) A drop press or drop hammer.
(f) (Mach.) The distance of the axis of a shaft below the
base of a hanger.

5. pl. Any medicine the dose of which is measured by drops;
as, lavender drops.

6. (Naut.) The depth of a square sail; -- generally applied
to the courses only. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

7. Act of dropping; sudden fall or descent.

{Ague drop}, {Black drop}. See under {Ague}, {Black}.

{Drop by drop}, in small successive quantities; in repeated
portions. ``Made to taste drop by drop more than the
bitterness of death.'' --Burke.

{Drop curtain}. See {Drop}, n., 4.
(d) .

{Drop forging}. (Mech.)
(a) A forging made in dies by a drop hammer.
(b) The process of making drop forgings.

{Drop hammer} (Mech.), a hammer for forging, striking up
metal, etc., the weight being raised by a strap or similar
device, and then released to drop on the metal resting on
an anvil or die.

{Drop kick} (Football), a kick given to the ball as it
rebounds after having been dropped from the hands.

{Drop lake}, a pigment obtained from Brazil wood. --Mollett.

{Drop letter}, a letter to be delivered from the same office
where posted.

{Drop press} (Mech.), a drop hammer; sometimes, a dead-stroke
hammer; -- also called drop.

{Drop scene}, a drop curtain on which a scene is painted. See
{Drop}, n., 4.
(d) .

{Drop seed}. (Bot.) See the List under {Glass}.

{Drop serene}. (Med.) See {Amaurosis}.