hop
B1Neutral to informal.
Definition
Meaning
to jump lightly and quickly on one foot or with both feet together.
To move or proceed quickly and often briefly; to get on or into a vehicle quickly; to make a short journey; in computing/internet, to pass a signal or packet from one node to another.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb suggests a light, often small or quick jump, not a powerful leap. As a noun, it can refer to the jump itself, a short journey/flight, or a type of climbing plant used in brewing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the word similarly. 'Hop' for a short flight is slightly more common in American English (e.g., 'a quick hop to Chicago'). The plant 'hop' is universally known in brewing contexts.
Connotations
Similar connotations of lightness, informality, and brevity in both dialects.
Frequency
Similar frequency. Slight edge to AmE for air travel contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[I] (The child hopped.)[I + adv/prep] (He hopped over the puddle.)[T] (She hopped the fence.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hop to it”
- “catch someone on the hop”
- “hop, skip, and a jump”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informal: 'Let's hop on a call later.'
Academic
Rare in formal writing. May appear in biology (movement) or networking studies ('packet hop').
Everyday
Very common: hopping over a puddle, hopping on a bus.
Technical
Networking: 'Each router adds one hop to the path.' Brewing: 'The aroma of the hops.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- With one quick hop, she was over the stream.
- The beer gets its bitter flavour from hops.
American English
- It's just a short hop from Boston to New York.
- The brewer selected new hop varieties for the IPA.
verb
British English
- The sparrow hopped along the garden fence.
- I'll just hop on the tube to get there.
American English
- The rabbit hopped across the yard.
- Let's hop a flight to Vegas for the weekend.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The children hop in the playground.
- The frog can hop very far.
- I had to hop over a large puddle on my way to work.
- We can hop on the next bus.
- He hopped a freight train and travelled across the state.
- After a quick hop across the Channel, we were in Paris.
- The data packet makes several hops before reaching its final destination.
- The brewer discussed the terroir of the Slovenian hops.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a rabbit. It doesn't walk, it HOPs. Short word for a short jump.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOVEMENT IS JUMPING / LIFE IS A JOURNEY WITH STOPS (e.g., 'the next hop in my career').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not 'прыгать' for all contexts; 'прыгать' is a general 'jump'. 'Hop' is specifically light/small/on one foot. Avoid confusing with 'hope' (надеяться) in sound.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'hop' for a long, high jump (use 'leap').
- Confusing verb forms: hopped, hopping.
Practice
Quiz
In networking terminology, a 'hop' refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Hop' is light, often on one foot or small. 'Jump' is the general term. 'Leap' is a more forceful, often longer jump.
Yes, informally for short journeys, especially flights (e.g., 'a hop from London to Brussels').
Yes, the past simple and past participle of 'hop' is 'hopped' (double the 'p').
Hops are the cone-shaped flowers of a climbing plant, used to give beer its bitter flavour and aroma.