drop bear

English

WOTD – 26 January 2018

Pronunciation

An artistic depiction of a drop bear.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɹɒp bɛə(ɹ)/, /dɹɒp bɛː(ɹ)/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /dɹɔp bɛɹ/

Noun

drop bear (plural drop bears)

1. (humorous) A fictional Australian marsupial in the form of a large, carnivorous koala said to fall upon its prey from treetops.
   • 1995, John Marsden, The Third Day, the Frost (TCPA Tomorrow Series; 3), Sydney: Pan Macmillan, →ISBN; republished as A Killing Frost, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1999, →ISBN, page 15:

     You don't know what drop bears are? Fair dink, don't they teach you blokes anything? Fancy sending a bloke to a place like this and not telling him about drop bears.

   • 1998, Terry Pratchett, The Last Continent (Discworld; 22), London: Doubleday, →ISBN; republished London: Corgi, 2013, →ISBN, page 219:

     ‘Drop-bears? Who’s been feedin’ you a line about drop-bears?’ / ‘What do you mean?’ / ‘There’s no such thing as drop-bears! Someone must’ve seen you coming, mate!’

   • 2012, Marion Lennox, Taming the Brooding Cattleman (Sweet Romance), Chatswood, N.S.W.: Harlequin Mills & Boon, →ISBN:

     They cling high in the branches and drop at the first sign of life below. You're walking along and thump, there's a drop bear covering your head. Their claws are so long they usually need surgical removal. It's quite a business, carting drop bear victims to hospital with drop bear attached. It'd be easier to shoot the drop bear but they're heavily protected. If it's a choice between an American vet or an Aussie drop bear, the drop bear wins every time.

   • 2014 September, Lisa McMann, “Aaron Hatches a Plan”, in Island of Legends (The Unwanteds), New York, N.Y.: Aladdin Paperbacks, →ISBN:

     The creature withdrew its fangs and hopped out of the way of Aaron's flailing arms, ran down the path to the nearest tree, and scurried up it. […] "There are a few of those around. Dropbears. […] They're quite cuddly and fun loving … if you're not edible."

Alternative forms

• drop-bear
• dropbear

Translations

fictional Australian marsupial

Further reading

• drop bear on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• preboard