diff --git a/src/parse/grammar/checks.ts b/src/parse/grammar/checks.ts
index 4061c97a0..8340aa1b5 100644
--- a/src/parse/grammar/checks.ts
+++ b/src/parse/grammar/checks.ts
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ namespace chevrotain.checks {
         let isFirstOptional = gast.isOptionalProd(firstProd)
         let hasMore = definition.length > 1
         if (isFirstOptional && hasMore) {
-            let rest = _.drop(definition)
+            let rest = utils.drop(definition)
             return result.concat(getFirstNoneTerminal(rest))
         }
         else {
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ namespace chevrotain.checks {
         let ors = orCollector.alternations
 
         let errors = _.reduce(ors, (errors, currOr) => {
-            let exceptLast = _.dropRight(currOr.definition)
+            let exceptLast = utils.dropRight(currOr.definition)
             let currErrors = utils.map(exceptLast, (currAlternative:IProduction, currAltIdx) => {
                 if (utils.isEmpty(first.first(currAlternative))) {
                     return {
diff --git a/src/parse/grammar/rest.ts b/src/parse/grammar/rest.ts
index 0fd2d0f10..de3287b8a 100644
--- a/src/parse/grammar/rest.ts
+++ b/src/parse/grammar/rest.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace chevrotain.rest {
 
         walk(prod:g.AbstractProduction, prevRest:any[] = []):void {
             utils.forEach(prod.definition, (subProd:gast.IProduction, index) => {
-                let currRest = _.drop(prod.definition, index + 1)
+                let currRest = utils.drop(prod.definition, index + 1)
 
                 if (subProd instanceof g.NonTerminal) {
                     this.walkProdRef(subProd, currRest, prevRest)
diff --git a/src/scan/lexer.ts b/src/scan/lexer.ts
index a38d253e1..ca41ca106 100644
--- a/src/scan/lexer.ts
+++ b/src/scan/lexer.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ namespace chevrotain {
             else if (utils.isString(groupName)) {
                 return groupName
             }
-            else if (_.isUndefined(groupName)) {
+            else if (utils.isUndefined(groupName)) {
                 return "default"
             }
             else {
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ namespace chevrotain {
         identicalPatterns = _.compact(identicalPatterns)
 
         let duplicatePatterns = _.filter(identicalPatterns, (currIdenticalSet) => {
-            return _.size(currIdenticalSet) > 1
+            return currIdenticalSet.length > 1
         })
 
         let errors = utils.map(duplicatePatterns, (setOfIdentical:any) => {
diff --git a/src/scan/tokens_public.ts b/src/scan/tokens_public.ts
index ee4d9bb72..572cee921 100644
--- a/src/scan/tokens_public.ts
+++ b/src/scan/tokens_public.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace chevrotain {
             patternOrParent === chevrotain.Lexer.NA) {
             pattern = patternOrParent
         }
-        else if (_.isFunction(patternOrParent)) {
+        else if (utils.isFunction(patternOrParent)) {
             parentConstructor = patternOrParent
             pattern = undefined
         }
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace chevrotain {
         derivedCostructor.tokenName = tokenName
         derivedCostructor.prototype = Object.create(parentConstructor.prototype)
         derivedCostructor.prototype.constructor = derivedCostructor
-        if (!_.isUndefined(pattern)) {
+        if (!utils.isUndefined(pattern)) {
             derivedCostructor.PATTERN = pattern
         }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/utils.ts b/src/utils/utils.ts
index 7d47f0753..0d26e47ac 100644
--- a/src/utils/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils/utils.ts
@@ -70,4 +70,20 @@ namespace chevrotain.utils {
     export function isString(item:any):boolean {
         return typeof item === "string"
     }
+
+    export function isUndefined(item:any):boolean {
+        return item === undefined
+    }
+
+    export function isFunction(item:any):boolean {
+        return item instanceof Function
+    }
+
+    export function drop<T>(arr:T[], howMuch:number = 1):T[] {
+        return arr.slice(howMuch, arr.length)
+    }
+
+    export function dropRight<T>(arr:T[], howMuch:number = 1):T[] {
+        return arr.slice(0, arr.length - howMuch)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/test/utils/utils_spec.ts b/test/utils/utils_spec.ts
index 89a824504..24bd530fa 100644
--- a/test/utils/utils_spec.ts
+++ b/test/utils/utils_spec.ts
@@ -29,5 +29,19 @@ namespace chevrotain.utils.spec {
             expect(isString(null)).to.be.false
         })
 
+        it("exports a drop utility", () => {
+            expect(drop([])).to.deep.equal([])
+            expect(drop([1, 2, 3])).to.deep.equal([2, 3])
+            expect(drop([1, 2, 3], 2)).to.deep.equal([3])
+            expect(drop([1, 2, 3], 3)).to.deep.equal([])
+        })
+
+        it("exports a dropRight utility", () => {
+            expect(dropRight([])).to.deep.equal([])
+            expect(dropRight([1, 2, 3])).to.deep.equal([1, 2])
+            expect(dropRight([1, 2, 3], 2)).to.deep.equal([1])
+            expect(dropRight([1, 2, 3], 3)).to.deep.equal([])
+        })
+
     })
 }