hop

a hop, skip, and a jump

Fig. a short distance. Bill lives just a hop, skip, and a jump from here. We can be there in two minutes. My car is parked just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

See also: and, jump

hop something up

Sl. to make a machine, especially a car, run extra fast or give it extra power. He will take that junk heap home and hop it up. He spent nearly every evening hopping up his old car.

See also: up

hop in (to something)

to jump into something; to get into something. Hop into your car and drive over to my house. I hopped in and drove off.

hop off

((of) something) to jump off something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) She hopped off her bike and came into the house. The bird on the branch hopped off.

hop on (to something)

to jump or get onto something that is moving. Sometimes you have to hop onto the cable car after it has started to move. I ran to the cable car and hopped on.

Hop to it!

Inf. Get started right now! Bill: I have to get these things stacked up before I go home. Bob: Then hop to it! You won't get it done standing around here talking. "Hurry up! Hop to it!" urged Bill. "We've got to get this done!"

hop up (to someone or something)

[for an animal] to come close to someone or something by hopping. The bunny hopped up to me and just sat there. It hopped up and stared.

See also: up

hopped up 

1. Sl. intoxicated with drugs or alcohol; stimulated by drugs or alcohol. The old man was hopped up again. He was addicted to opium. John usually gets hopped up on the weekends.

2. Inf. excited; enthusiastic. What are you hopped up about now? You're certainly cheery. I always get hopped up when I think of mountain climbing.

See also: up

hopping mad

Fig. very angry. Joe got hopping mad when the salescerk was rude to him. The student's practical jokes made the teacher hopping mad.

See also: mad

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be hopping mad  (old-fashioned)

to be very angry My Dad was hopping mad when I told him I'd crashed his car.

See also: mad

catch somebody on the hop

if you catch someone on the hop, you do something when they are not ready for it and may not be able to deal with it well I'm afraid you've caught me on the hop - I wasn't expecting your call until this afternoon. If we attack at the very start of the game, we may just catch their defenders on the hop.

See also: catch

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hop to it

to hurry If we're going to meet them for breakfast we'd better hop to it.

hopped up

very active and excited The union is hopped up about rumors that some of these jobs may be eliminated.

Usage notes: often used to describe someone who is influenced by drugs: I was pretty hopped up on coffee. I don't want some guy hopped up on drugs next to me working on a machine.

See also: up