hop

[[t]hɒ̱p[/t]]

hops, hopping, hopped

1) VERB If you hop, you move along by jumping on one foot.

[V prep/adv] I hopped down three steps...

Malcolm hopped rather than walked.

N-COUNT

Hop is also a noun.

`This really is a catching rhythm, huh?' he added, with a few little hops.

2) VERB When birds and some small animals hop, they move along by jumping on both feet.

[V prep/adv] A small brown fawn hopped across the trail in front of them.

N-COUNT

Hop is also a noun.

The rabbit got up, took four hops and turned round.

3) VERB If you hop somewhere, you move there quickly or suddenly. [INFORMAL]

[V prep/adv] My wife and I were the first to arrive and hopped on board...

[V prep/adv] I hopped out of bed quickly.

Syn:

jump

4) N-COUNT A hop is a short, quick journey, usually by plane. [INFORMAL]

It is a three-hour drive from Geneva but can be reached by a 20-minute hop in a private helicopter.

5) N-COUNT A hop is a social event at which people mix together and dance in an informal way. [INFORMAL]

They were afraid of being turned down when they asked girls to dance at high school hops.

6) N-COUNT: usu pl Hops are flowers that are dried and used for making beer.

7) PHRASE: V inflects (feelings) If you tell someone to hop it, you are telling them in a rude way to go away. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

`Hop it', I snapped at the bloke. `She's with me.'

Syn:

clear off

8) PHRASE: usu v-link PHR Someone who is hopping mad is very angry. [INFORMAL]

The family's hopping mad that she left them nothing.

9) PHRASE: usu PHR after v If you are caught on the hop, you are surprised by someone doing something when you were not expecting them to and so you are not prepared for it. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

His plans almost caught security chiefs and hotel staff on the hop.