I. pop 1 S2 /pɒp $ pɑːp/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle popped , present participle popping )
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: From the sound ]
1 . COME OUT/OFF [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to come suddenly or unexpectedly out of or away from something
pop out/off/up etc
The top button popped off my shirt.
The ball popped out of Smith’s hands and onto the ground.
out/up popped something
The egg cracked open and out popped a tiny head.
The lid popped open and juice spilled all over the floor.
2 . GO QUICKLY [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] especially British English spoken to go somewhere quickly, suddenly, or in a way that you did not expect
pop in/out/by etc
Why don’t you pop by the next time you’re in town?
I need to pop into the drugstore for a second.
pop round British English :
Could you pop round to the shop for some bread?
3 . QUICKLY PUT SOMETHING [transitive always + adverb/preposition] especially British English informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time
pop something in/around/over etc
I’ll just pop these cakes into the oven.
pop something round something British English :
Barry popped his head round the door to say hello.
4 . SHORT SOUND [intransitive and transitive] to make a short sound like a small explosion, or to make something do this:
The wood sizzled and popped in the fire.
5 . BURST [intransitive and transitive] to burst, or to make something burst, with a short explosive sound:
A balloon popped.
6 . EARS [intransitive] if your ears pop, you feel the pressure in them suddenly change, for example when you go up or down quickly in a plane
7 . sb’s eyes popped (out of their head) especially British English spoken used to say that someone looked extremely surprised or excited
8 . pop into your head/mind to suddenly think of something:
All at once an idea popped into her head.
9 . pop the question informal to ask someone to marry you:
Hasn’t Bill popped the question yet?
10 . pop pills informal to take ↑ pill s too often, or to take too many at one time
11 . HIT [transitive] American English spoken to hit someone:
If you say that again, I’ll pop you one.
12 . POPCORN [intransitive and transitive] to cook ↑ popcorn until it swells and bursts open, or to be cooked in this way
13 . pop your clogs British English humorous to die
pop off phrasal verb informal
to die suddenly
pop something ↔ on phrasal verb British English spoken
1 . to quickly put on a piece of clothing:
Here, pop on your pyjamas and then we’ll read a story.
2 . to quickly turn on a piece of electrical equipment:
Pop the kettle on, would you?
pop out phrasal verb informal
if words pop out, you suddenly say them without thinking first:
I didn’t mean to say it like that – it just popped out.
pop up phrasal verb
to appear, sometimes unexpectedly:
Click here, and a list of files will pop up.
Her name keeps popping up in the newspapers.
⇨ ↑ pop-up
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ put to move something to a particular place:
I’ve put the wine in the fridge.
|
Where have you put my grey shirt?
▪ place to put something somewhere carefully:
‘It’s beautiful,’ he said, placing it back on the shelf.
▪ lay to put someone or something down carefully on a flat surface:
He laid all the money on the table.
|
She laid the baby on his bed.
▪ position to carefully put something in a suitable position:
Position the microphone to suit your height.
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Troops were positioned around the city.
▪ slip to put something somewhere with a quick movement:
He slipped his arm around her waist.
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Carrie quickly slipped the money into her bag.
▪ shove to put something into a space or container quickly or carelessly:
Shove anything you don’t want in that sack.
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I’ve ironed those shirts so don’t just shove them in a drawer.
▪ stick ( also bung British English ) informal to put something somewhere quickly or carelessly:
I stuck the address in my pocket and I can’t find it now.
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Could you bung those clothes in the washing machine?
▪ dump to put something down somewhere in a careless and untidy way:
Don’t just dump all your bags in the kitchen.
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People shouldn’t dump rubbish at the side of the street.
▪ pop informal to quickly put something somewhere, usually for a short time:
Pop it in the microwave for a minute.
▪ thrust literary to put something somewhere suddenly or forcefully:
‘Hide it,’ he said, thrusting the watch into her hand.
II. pop 2 S3 W3 BrE AmE noun
[ Sense 1,7: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: popular ]
[ Sense 2-5: Date: 1400-1500 ; Origin: ⇨ ↑ pop 1 ]
[ Sense 6: Date: 1800-1900 ; Origin: poppa ]
1 . MUSIC [uncountable] modern music that is popular, especially with young people, and usually consists of simple tunes with a strong beat ⇨ pop music :
a new pop record
a pop star
a pop festival
2 . SOUND [countable] a sudden short sound like a small explosion:
the pop of a champagne cork
The balloon went pop (=made a sudden short sound) .
3 . DRINK [uncountable and countable] informal a sweet drink with bubbles but no alcohol, or a glass or can of this drink SYN soda :
a bottle of pop
Can you get me a pop while you’re up?
4 . take a pop at somebody British English informal to criticize someone in public:
When you’re a professional footballer, you expect people to take a pop at you now and again.
5 . $7/$50/25¢ etc a pop American English spoken used when each of something costs a particular amount of money:
Tickets for the show are a hundred bucks a pop.
6 . FATHER [countable] ( also Pops ) American English old-fashioned father – used especially when you are talking to your father
7 . pops American English ↑ classical music that most people know, especially people who do not usually like this type of music:
a pops concert
the Boston Pops Orchestra
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ father a male parent:
My father’s a doctor.
|
He’s a father of three.
▪ dad informal used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
Can I borrow your car, Dad?
|
Her dad retired ten years ago.
|
My dad was in the army.
▪ daddy a name for father, which is used especially by young children or when you are talking to young children:
Where’s your daddy?
|
Daddy, can I have a drink, please?
▪ pop American English informal ( also pa old-fashioned ) used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
I helped Pop fix the gate this morning.
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Can I help, Pa?
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He is in New York with his Pop's credit card, eating all the ice cream and pizza the city has to offer.
▪ papa old-fashioned informal used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
Papa had forbidden me to go.
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She saw her papa 's face change at this news.
▪ sb’s old man informal someone's father – used when talking about him in a way that is not very respectful:
His old man wouldn’t let him use the car.
▪ stepfather ( also stepdad informal ) a man who is married to your mother, who is not your father but often acts as your parent:
Her stepfather is really nice.