hop it

hop

1. verb, informal To board (some mode of transportation), especially very quickly, abruptly, or impulsively. I decided at the last minute to hop the bus to Seattle to spend the weekend with my family. I used to hop the trains all over Europe back when I was studying in Budapest.

2. verb, informal To cross (something, especially a body of water) in an aircraft, especially very quickly. The new jet is able to hop the Atlantic in just under three hours. Why don't we just take a propeller plane to hop the English Channel? It would be so much faster than a ferry.

3. verb, informal To move from one place, thing, or activity to another in quick succession. Used in combinations (often hyphenated). We spent most of the night bar hopping all around town. I used to movie-hop all the time when I was a broke college student. It might not have been the most ethical thing in the world, but I was able to see tons of movies I otherwise couldn't afford.

4. noun, informal A very quick trip, especially by aircraft. We'll have to fly from New York to London, and then it's just a short hop to Dublin.

5. noun, dated informal A social dance party, especially one aimed at young people. A: "Hey, Shirley, you going to the hop this Saturday?" B: "Well, gee whiz, Nancy-Anne, I sure am!"

6. noun, slang Opium. I heard John got arrested for smoking hop in an opium den on Broome Street.

hop it

To leave something or some place very quickly or suddenly. If I'd had such a rude customer come into my shop, I would have told him to hop it.

hop it

depart suddenly. British informal