hop

¹

[ hop ]

verb (used without object)

, hopped, hop·ping.

1. to make a short, bouncing leap; move by leaping with all feet off the ground.

   Synonyms: bound, spring, jump

2. to spring or leap on one foot.
3. Informal. to make a short, quick trip, especially in an airplane:

   He hopped up to Boston for the day.

4. Informal. to travel or move frequently from one place or situation to another (usually used in combination):

   to island-hop;

   to job-hop.

5. Older Use: Informal. to dance.

verb (used with object)

, hopped, hop·ping.

1. to jump over; clear with a hop:

   The sheep hopped the fence.

2. Informal. to board or get onto a vehicle:

   to hop a plane.

3. Informal. to cross in an airplane:

   We hopped the Atlantic in five hours.

noun

1. an act of hopping; short leap.
2. a leap on one foot.
3. a journey, especially a short trip by air.
4. Older Use: Informal. a dance or dancing party.
5. a bounce or rebound of a moving object, as a ball:

   She caught the ball on the first hop.

hop

²

[ hop ]

noun

1. any twining plant of the genus Humulus, bearing male flowers in loose clusters and female flowers in conelike forms.
2. hops, the dried ripe cones of the female flowers of this plant, used in brewing, medicine, etc.
3. Older Slang. a narcotic drug, especially opium.

verb (used with object)

, hopped, hop·ping.

1. to treat or flavor with hops.

verb phrase

1. Slang.
   1. to excite; make enthusiastic:

      They hopped the crowd up with fiery speeches.

   2. to add to the power of:

      The kids hopped up the motor of their jalopy.

   3. to stimulate by narcotics.

hop

¹

/ hɒp /

noun

1. any climbing plant of the N temperate genus Humulus, esp H. lupulus, which has green conelike female flowers and clusters of small male flowers: family Cannabiaceae (or Cannabidaceae ) See also hops
2. hop garden
   a field of hops
3. obsolete.
   opium or any other narcotic drug

hop

²

/ hɒp /

verb

1. intr to make a jump forwards or upwards, esp on one foot
2. intr (esp of frogs, birds, rabbits, etc) to move forwards in short jumps
3. tr to jump over

   he hopped the hedge

4. informal.
   intr to move or proceed quickly (in, on, out of, etc)

   hop on a bus

5. informal.
   tr to cross (an ocean) in an aircraft

   they hopped the Atlantic in seven hours

6. informal.
   tr to travel by means of (an aircraft, bus, etc)

   he hopped a train to Chicago

7. to bounce or cause to bounce

   he hopped the flat stone over the lake's surface

8. informal.
   intr to begin intense activity, esp work
9. intr another word for limp 1
10. hop it or hop off slang.
    to go away

noun

1. the act or an instance of hopping
2. old-fashioned.
   a dance, esp one at which popular music is played

   we're all going to the school hop tonight

3. informal.
   a trip, esp in an aircraft
4. a bounce, as of a ball
5. on the hop informal.
   1. active or busy
   2. unawares or unprepared

      the new ruling caught me on the hop

Other Words From

• hop·ping·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of hop¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English verb hoppen, Old English hoppian; cognate with German hopfen, Old Norse hoppa

Origin of hop²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English hoppe, from Middle Dutch hoppe ( Dutch hop ); cognate with Old High German hopfo ( German Hopfen )

Word History and Origins

Origin of hop¹

C15: from Middle Dutch hoppe; related to Old High German hopfo, Norwegian hupp tassel

Origin of hop²

Old English hoppian; related to Old Norse hoppa to hop, Middle Low German hupfen

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. hop to it, Informal. to begin to move, become active, or do something immediately: Also hop to.

   You'd better hop to it if you intend to buy groceries before the market closes.

More idioms and phrases containing hop

• mad as a hornet (hops)