/ hɒp; NAmE hɑːp/ verb , noun
■ verb ( -pp- )
1.
[ v , usually + adv. / prep. ] ( of a person ) to move by jumping on one foot :
I couldn't put my weight on my ankle and had to hop everywhere.
kids hopping over puddles
2.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] ( of an animal or a bird ) to move by jumping with all or both feet together :
A robin was hopping around on the path.
3.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] ( informal ) to go or move somewhere quickly and suddenly :
Hop in, I'll drive you home.
to hop into / out of bed
I hopped on the next train.
We hopped over to Paris for the weekend.
4.
[ vn ] ( NAmE ) hop a plane, bus, train, etc. to get on a plane, bus, etc.
5.
[ v ] hop (from sth to sth) to change from one activity or subject to another :
I like to hop from channel to channel when I watch TV.
•
IDIOMS
- hop it
- hop to it
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a short jump by a person on one foot :
He crossed the hall with a hop, skip and a jump.
2.
[ C ] a short jump by an animal or a bird with all or both feet together
3.
[ C ] a short journey, especially by plane
4.
[ C ] a tall climbing plant with green female flowers that are shaped like cones
5.
hops [ pl. ] the green female flowers of the hop plant that have been dried, used for making beer
6.
[ C ] ( old-fashioned , informal ) a social event at which people dance in an informal way
—see also hip hop
•
IDIOMS
see catch verb
••
WORD ORIGIN
verb and noun senses 1 to 3 noun sense 6 Old English hoppian , of Germanic origin; related to German dialect hopfen and German hopsen .
noun senses 4 to 5 late Middle English hoppe (in the sense ripened hop cones for flavouring malt liquor ), from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch .