barhop
Low-Medium (B2/C1)Informal, colloquial, social
Definition
Meaning
To go from one bar or pub to another, especially in a single evening.
A social activity, often with friends, involving visiting multiple drinking establishments consecutively, sometimes with the aim of trying different atmospheres, drinks, or meeting new people. Can also imply a degree of casual, informal fun-seeking.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily denotes a social, leisure-time activity. Implies movement and progression. Connotes a sense of spontaneity, fun, and sometimes mild revelry. Often used in the context of a 'night out'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In American English, 'barhop' is a common, well-understood compound. In British English, the analogous term is more commonly 'pub crawl' (noun) or 'go on a pub crawl'. 'Barhop' as a verb is understood but less frequent.
Connotations
In AmE, 'barhop' can be neutral or slightly frivolous. In BrE, using 'barhop' may sound like an Americanism, while 'pub crawl' is the native, deeply established term with stronger connotations of a planned, often boisterous, group activity.
Frequency
The verb 'barhop' is significantly more frequent in American English. In British English, the verb 'to bar-hop' (with hyphen) is occasionally seen, but 'to go on a pub crawl' or 'to do a crawl' are the standard phrasings.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] barhops.[Subject] is barhopping.[Subject] barhopped [around/through/in] [Location].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Make a night of it (by barhopping)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Extremely rare; potentially in very informal social team-building contexts (e.g., 'The sales team barhopped after the conference').
Academic
Never used.
Everyday
Common in informal conversation about social plans, recounting evenings out. (e.g., 'What did you do?' 'We just barhopped around the city centre.')
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We might just bar-hop down King Street if we get bored.
- They barhopped until the early hours, which was rather reckless.
American English
- Let's barhop in the East Village tonight!
- We barhopped all through college.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; would use adverbial phrases like 'by bar-hopping')
American English
- (Not standard; would use adverbial phrases like 'by barhopping')
adjective
British English
- It was a classic bar-hopping night out.
- He's known for his bar-hopping escapades.
American English
- She's the perfect partner for a barhopping adventure.
- They mapped out a barhopping route for the bachelor party.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- They went to many bars. (Simplified concept)
- On Saturday, we want to go to different bars in the city centre.
- After dinner, we decided to barhop and try a few of the new cocktail places.
- The stag do involved meticulously barhopping through the historic district, sampling a local craft beer at each venue.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a rabbit (hop) jumping from one BAR to the next. BAR + HOP = BARHOP.
Conceptual Metaphor
LEISURE ACTIVITY IS A JOURNEY (with stops).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calques like '*baroskakatsya' or '*baroprygat'. The concept is best translated descriptively: 'ходить по барам (клубам)' or use the borrowed term 'бархоппить' (very slangy). The established Russian equivalent for the noun is 'барный тур' or more commonly 'загул' (though 'загул' is broader).
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal writing. Spelling as two words ('bar hop') instead of one solid or hyphenated compound. Overusing it in British English contexts where 'pub crawl' is more natural.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most natural British English equivalent of 'We barhopped last night'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is most commonly written as one solid word, especially in American English ('barhop'). In British English, you may sometimes see it hyphenated ('bar-hop'). Writing it as two separate words ('bar hop') is considered less standard.
Rarely. The primary use is as a verb or in its -ing form as an adjective (e.g., 'a barhopping night'). For the noun form, 'pub crawl' (BrE) or 'bar crawl' (AmE) is strongly preferred.
It's a regular verb: 'barhopped'. The present participle is 'barhopping'. Remember to double the 'p' (barhop -> barhopped).
Yes, it's informal/colloquial. It's perfectly acceptable in casual speech and writing but should be avoided in formal, academic, or professional contexts where a more descriptive phrase would be appropriate.