Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - hop

~1 v hopped, hopping 1 »JUMP« to move by jumping on one foot  (a child hopping up and down the stairs) 2 if a bird, an insect, or a small animal hops, it moves by making quick short jumps 3 informal to get into, onto, or out of something, especially a vehicle + in/out/on etc  (Hop in - I'll drive you to the bus stop.) 4 hop a plane/bus/train etc AmE informal to get on a plane, bus, train etc, especially after suddenly deciding to do so  (So we hopped a bus to Phoenix that night.) 5 hop it! BrE spoken used to tell someone to go away 6 hopping mad informal very angry  (Mrs C's going to be hopping mad when she hears!) ~2 n 1 keep sb on the hop informal to make someone very busy  (The children keep me on the hop all day.) 2 catch sb on the hop to do something when someone is not expecting it and is not ready 3 »JUMP« a short jump 4 »PLANT« usually plural part of a flower that is used for making beer, or the tall plant on which it grows 5 »FLIGHT« a single short journey by plane  (crossing Australia in a series of hops) 6 »DANCE« a social event at which people dance