The Many Meanings of Hop | Generated by AI
Question: What does “hop” mean in English?
Answer:
“Hop” is a versatile English word with several meanings depending on context:
As a verb:
- To jump lightly or quickly, especially on one foot or with short bounces (e.g., “The rabbit hopped across the field” or “She hopped on one leg after hurting her ankle”).
- To make a short, quick trip (e.g., “I’ll hop over to the store” or “We hopped on a plane to Paris”).
- To board or mount something quickly (e.g., “Hop in the car!” or “Hop on the bus”).
As a noun:
- A short jump or bounce (e.g., “The ball took one hop before I caught it”).
- The dried cone-like flowers of the hop plant (Humulus lupulus), used primarily to flavor and preserve beer (e.g., “This IPA has a strong hop taste”).
- An informal dance or party (older slang, e.g., “sock hop” from the 1950s, referring to dances where people removed shoes to protect floors).
Other uses:
- In slang (older or niche): Sometimes referred to opium or narcotics (dated).
- In phrases: “Hop to it” means to start doing something quickly; “a hop, skip, and a jump” means a very short distance.
The most common modern meanings are the jumping action and the beer ingredient.
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