Drop the ball

Meaning:

We can say that we drop the ball if we fail at something or if we make a big mistake. This idiom comes from the sport of American football where it's generally not a good thing to drop the ball. This is why we talk of failure and mistakes. If you want to tell someone how important it is to succeed in a particular activity, then this is a good idiom to use.

Example sentences:

1. Don't drop the ball.
2. I dropped the ball.
3. He always drops the ball in these situations.

Example dialogue:

Two colleagues are discussing an important meeting.

A: We need to perform well in this meeting.
B: I understand. Everything has to be perfect.
A: Yes, we cannot afford to drop the ball.
B: OK, I'll try my best not to drop the ball.

Practice:

Can you think of a time when you dropped the ball? What happened?