pop
pop — verb
1. to go somewhere for a short time, often quickly or without much planning.
to go somewhere for a short time, often quickly or without much planning.
I'm going to pop to the bakery before the rain starts.
pop + to + place for a quick errand
Maya popped into the post office during her lunch break.
pop into + place
The twins popped round after school to return our ladders.
Carlos popped over to his aunt's flat with fresh soup.
- stay in
phrasal opposite — not go out for the short trip
文法句型
pop + to + place
pop + into/over/round + place
用法筆記
Usually followed by a place phrase, and often used for small errands or quick social visits. More casual than 'visit' and shorter in feel than simply 'go'.
常見錯誤
2. to make a quick sharp noise, or to make something break open with that noise.
to make a quick sharp noise, or to make something break open with that noise.
The red balloon popped when Leo sat on it.
something pops when it bursts
Hot oil popped loudly in the pan beside the stove.
Grandpa popped the paper bag to make the baby laugh.
Soap bubbles popped one by one in the warm bath.
- stay intact
describes not breaking or bursting
文法句型
something pops
pop + object
用法筆記
Can be intransitive when the thing itself bursts, or transitive when someone causes the burst. Common subjects and objects include balloons, bubbles, oil, corn, and paper bags.
常見錯誤
3. when air pressure changes, your ears can click and feel blocked for a moment.
when air pressure changes, your ears can click and feel blocked for a moment.
My ears popped as the plane began to land in Osaka.
ears pop during pressure change
Nina swallowed hard when her ears popped on the mountain road.
The baby's ears popped during the quick drive up the mountain.
Passengers yawned when their ears popped after the train entered the tunnel.
- block up
describes ears becoming shut rather than releasing
文法句型
ears pop
用法筆記
Subject is almost always 'ears'. Common situations are flights, tunnels, mountain roads, and other quick changes in height or pressure.
常見錯誤
4. to appear or come out very suddenly, often from inside something or from a hidde
to appear or come out very suddenly, often from inside something or from a hidden place.
A rabbit popped out of the hedge near the old church.
pop out of + place
Mina popped up from behind the sofa and scared her cousin.
pop up from behind + object
Two firefighters popped out of the smoke carrying a small child.
A text message popped up during the class meeting.
- appear
more neutral and less sudden in feeling
- emerge
slightly more formal; often slower than 'pop'
- spring out
stresses a quick surprising movement outward
文法句型
pop + out of/from + place
pop + up
用法筆記
Common particles are 'out', 'up', and 'through'. Distinguish from sense 5: here the subject itself appears suddenly, rather than someone moving an object quickly.
常見錯誤
5. to put something somewhere or take it out in one quick movement.
to put something somewhere or take it out in one quick movement.
Rosa popped the tickets into her coat pocket before boarding.
pop + object + into + place
Jake popped a mint into his mouth before meeting the clients.
The nurse popped the key back on its hook after lunch.
Maya popped the letter out of her bag and handed it over.
文法句型
pop + object + into/on + place
pop + object + out of + place
用法筆記
Usually takes a small everyday object, followed by a place phrase such as 'into your pocket', 'on the fire', or 'out of the bag'. Distinguish from sense 4 by checking whether a person is moving the object.
常見錯誤
6. to swallow pills again and again, especially for the drug effect rather than for
to swallow pills again and again, especially for the drug effect rather than for health.
The singer started popping pills after the late-night shows.
pop + pills in informal drug-related use
School friends knew Ben was popping painkillers every morning.
Police found pill bottles by the bed where Evan popped pills every night.
Nadia kept popping diet pills despite her doctor's warning.
- abuse pills
clinical phrasing for harmful repeated pill use
- take drugs
broader; not limited to pills
- live on pills
informal; suggests dependence on tablets
文法句型
pop + pills
用法筆記
Almost always appears with 'pills' or a type of pill. Strongly informal and usually negative, often suggesting harmful or dependent use rather than normal medical treatment.
常見錯誤
7. to make a lid, cap, seal, or similar part come open very quickly.
to make a lid, cap, seal, or similar part come open very quickly.
Rita popped the metal lid off the paint can.
pop + lid off
Ben popped open the case and showed us the ring.
pop open + object
One twist popped the cap off the sauce bottle.
At the clinic, the nurse popped the seal on a new bottle.
文法句型
pop the lid / cap / cork off
pop something open
pop the seal on something
用法筆記
The object is usually the part that opens, such as a lid, cap, cork, or seal. Distinguish from sense 5, which is about quickly putting or taking something somewhere.
常見錯誤
8. to catch the eye because it looks bright beside a different colour or background
to catch the eye because it looks bright beside a different colour or background.
The orange safety sign pops against the gray factory wall.
pop against + background
Mina's silver shoes popped under the white stage lights.
The red bench pops beside the pale stone path.
In the ad, the yellow text pops on a dark screen.
- stand out
the closest general alternative
- catch the eye
stresses attracting attention
- shine
can suggest brightness, but not always contrast
文法句型
colour / design + pops
pop against a background
pop on a dark / pale surface
用法筆記
Often used with against, on, or beside to name the background that makes something look striking. The subject is usually a color, pattern, word, or design feature.
常見錯誤
9. to flip the collar of a shirt, coat, or jacket upward.
to flip the collar of a shirt, coat, or jacket upward.
Before the rain started, Jonah popped his coat collar.
pop + your collar
Mia popped her denim jacket collar outside the stadium.
In the old film, the spy popped his trench coat collar.
For the class photo, Lena popped her shirt collar.
- fold down
move the collar back to its normal flat position
- smooth down
make the collar lie flat neatly
文法句型
pop your collar
pop the collar of a coat or jacket
用法筆記
The object is almost always collar, usually from a shirt, jacket, or coat. This sense is informal and is mostly used when talking about appearance or style.
常見錯誤
pop — noun
1. music for a wide audience, often with a clear beat and easy-to-remember tunes.
music for a wide audience, often with a clear beat and easy-to-remember tunes.
Tina plays pop in the cafe before the lunch crowd arrives.
uncountable noun: play pop
My brother writes pop songs on his laptop after school.
collocation: pop songs
The radio station switched from jazz to pop at noon.
At the party, even Grandpa danced when the pop playlist came on.
- pop music
the fuller and more explicit form
- chart music
focuses on songs currently doing well in the charts
- mainstream music
broader and can include styles beyond pop
文法句型
listen to pop
play pop
pop music
用法筆記
This sense is uncountable, so English normally says 'some pop' or 'a pop song', not 'a pop' when you mean the music itself.
常見錯誤
2. a quick burst of sound, like a balloon breaking or a cork coming out.
a quick burst of sound, like a balloon breaking or a cork coming out.
A loud pop came from the kitchen when the glass lid cracked.
hear a pop
We heard a pop as Dad opened the juice bottle.
A pop from the back tyre made the whole bus stop.
A sharp pop startled Eva during art class when the balloon burst.
文法句型
a pop
hear a pop
with a pop
用法筆記
Often used for a single small explosion or breakage. Distinguish from verb sense 2, where something pops and makes this sound.
3. an informal family word for a person's father.
an informal family word for a person's father.
Pop fixed my bike before I rode to school.
used as a name for father
When dinner was ready, Mia called, 'Pop, wash your hands!'
direct address: Pop
Ben sat beside Pop on the porch after the storm.
Pop promised Liam a fishing trip during the summer break.
文法句型
Pop said ...
ask Pop
call someone Pop
用法筆記
Usually spoken inside a family and often capitalized when used like a name. In many contexts, 'dad' is the more neutral everyday choice.
4. a sweet drink full of bubbles, usually without alcohol and often fruit-flavoured
a sweet drink full of bubbles, usually without alcohol and often fruit-flavoured.
The kids shared cold pop and hot dogs after the baseball game.
uncountable noun: drink pop
Grandma keeps orange pop in the fridge for summer visits.
collocation: orange pop
At the picnic, we drank pop from paper cups under the trees.
The diner serves homemade burgers but only canned pop.
- soda
common in many parts of North America
- soft drink
more neutral and widely understood
- soda pop
fuller form of the same idea
文法句型
drink pop
some pop
a bottle of pop
用法筆記
This regional everyday word is more common in some places than others. Many speakers use 'soda' or 'soft drink' instead.
5. a harsh remark or attack on someone, usually in the pattern 'have a pop at'.
a harsh remark or attack on someone, usually in the pattern 'have a pop at'.
The host took a pop at the mayor during the live interview.
take a pop at someone
One newspaper had a pop at the coach after Saturday's loss.
have a pop at someone
During the meeting, Carla took a pop at Tim's new plan.
Fans online took a pop at the singer after the concert started late.
文法句型
have a pop at someone
take a pop at someone
用法筆記
Usually followed by 'at' before the target. The tone is aggressive and sharper than ordinary criticism.
常見錯誤
6. each single item or each separate time, especially after a price or number.
each single item or each separate time, especially after a price or number.
At the bake sale, cookies were two dollars a pop.
price + a pop
The museum bought old posters for fifty dollars a pop.
The tour boats carried thirty people a pop across the lake.
Festival tickets were eighty dollars a pop before discount week.
文法句型
ten dollars a pop
forty people a pop
three a pop
用法筆記
This expression normally comes after a number or price and stays singular. It is common in informal talk about selling, buying, or counting repeated groups.
常見錯誤
7. a bright bit of colour or style that makes something plainer look more lively.
a bright bit of colour or style that makes something plainer look more lively.
The black kitchen needed a pop of yellow near the window.
pattern: a pop of + colour
Mia wore red shoes for a pop of colour at the wedding.
common use in clothes and decoration
A bright scarf gave her grey coat a welcome pop.
One orange chair gave the lobby a pop of colour.
文法句型
a pop of + colour
give something a pop of + colour
用法筆記
Most common in design, fashion, and home decoration, especially in the pattern 'a pop of colour'. Distinguish from verb/8, where 'pop' describes something itself looking bright and noticeable.
常見錯誤
8. extra force that makes a hit, sound, machine, or performance feel strong.
extra force that makes a hit, sound, machine, or performance feel strong.
Even at sixty, Coach Rivera still has plenty of pop in his swing.
pattern: have pop in [a hit or movement]
The old speakers lacked the pop needed for dance music.
pattern: lack pop
After the injury, Naomi's serve lost some of its pop.
The new bat gave Luca's swing more pop during batting practice.
- weakness
lack of strength or force
文法句型
have pop
lack pop
lose pop
用法筆記
Often appears with verbs such as 'have', 'lack', and 'lose'. It is common for sports, sound systems, engines, and punches rather than for general social or political power.
常見錯誤
pop — adjective
1. liked by a wide audience and presented in a simple style that most people can fo
liked by a wide audience and presented in a simple style that most people can follow.
The station plays pop songs during the morning drive to work.
collocation: pop songs
Maya bought a pop history book before the long train ride.
usually before a noun
The website posts pop science videos for children after school.
The bookstore placed pop psychology books beside serious research titles.
The magazine mixes pop culture news with simple film reviews.
- popular
broader and much more common, especially after a linking verb
- mainstream
stresses acceptance by the general public
- accessible
focuses more on being easy to understand
- niche
aimed at a small special group
- experimental
tries unusual ideas rather than pleasing a wide audience
文法句型
pop song
pop video
pop culture
pop science
用法筆記
Usually placed before nouns for music, books, media, or ideas aimed at a broad audience. It often suggests something made easy to take in, not necessarily something deeply serious or original.
常見錯誤
pop — abbreviation
1. short written form of 'population', mainly used in charts, maps, and similar spa
short written form of 'population', mainly used in charts, maps, and similar space-saving notes.
The chart listed a pop. of 48,000 for the mountain town.
abbreviation in charts and tables
A census note showed village pop. falling after the factory closed.
The map gave each island's pop. beside its name in small type.
In the county report, city pop. growth was highest near the coast.
- population
the full word; used in normal writing and speech instead of the short form
用法筆記
Usually seen in charts, maps, tables, and statistical notes, not in ordinary running sentences. In normal speech and most full prose, people use the full word 'population'.
常見錯誤
2. short written form of 'point of purchase', used for store signs and displays nea
short written form of 'point of purchase', used for store signs and displays near where shoppers buy or pay.
The manager moved the POP display beside the checkout before lunch.
collocation: POP display
Our team printed new POP signs for the snack shelf.
collocation: POP sign
Mina designed a bright POP stand for the new shampoo.
The store uses POP cards to show this week's sale price.
- point of sale
close business term, but it more often focuses on the seller's side or the checkout system
- in-store display
names the physical display itself rather than the broader retail label
用法筆記
Usually written in capitals and most often used before nouns such as 'display', 'sign', 'stand', and 'card'. It is a retail or marketing label, not a term most shoppers use in everyday conversation.
常見錯誤
pop — adverb
1. used like a sound effect to show a small burst or a sudden change in one instant
used like a sound effect to show a small burst or a sudden change in one instant.
At midnight, pop went the cork from the wedding bottle.
pop went + noun
The old light bulb went pop above the sink at breakfast.
go pop
On the windowsill, the soap bubble went pop in the sun.
When Ava pulled the tab, pop went the seal on the juice carton.
As the trick began, pop came a rabbit from the black hat.
- suddenly
neutral and much more common, without the sound effect
- all at once
stresses that the change happens in one instant
- with a bang
suggests a louder and heavier noise than 'pop'
文法句型
go pop
pop went + noun
pop came + noun
用法筆記
Rare and playful in modern English. It often imitates the sound inside story-like patterns such as 'pop went the cork' or after 'go', as in 'the bulb went pop'. Distinguish from verb senses 2 and 4, where 'pop' names the action itself rather than the manner of it happening.