# hopping

/ˈhɑpɪŋ/ (US) · /hˈɒpɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hopping
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. busy and crowded

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

very busy, crowded, and full of energy.

For teachers: characterised by a high level of activity or a large, energetic crowd. Informal in register.

- The new club was really hopping on Saturday night with a line out the door.
- By midnight, the downtown district was absolutely hopping, as tourists and locals alike flooded the streets to celebrate the festival.

Usage: Usually follows the verb 'to be' or 'get'.

### 2. jumping

verb · CEFR A2

jumping on one foot or moving in small leaps.

For teachers: the present participle of 'hop', describing locomotion via short leaps or jumping on a single leg.

- The children were hopping across the playground like little frogs.
- The injured bird was seen hopping along the fence line, unable to take flight but moving with surprising speed.

### 3. picking hops

noun · CEFR C2 · British English

the work of picking hops, which are flowers used to make beer.

For teachers: the seasonal activity of harvesting hops. Historically significant in British English as a working holiday for urban populations.

- In the past, many families from London went to Kent for the hopping season.
- The local museum features an extensive exhibit on the social history of hopping, documenting the annual migration of workers to the hop gardens.

Teaching tip: This sense is largely historical and specific to the UK; modern learners will rarely encounter it outside of history books or regional literature.

### 4. energy state change

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

when an electron moves from one energy level to another.

For teachers: the transition of an electron between different energy states or sites within an atom or crystal lattice.

- The scientist explained how electron hopping affects the way the material carries electricity.
- The research paper explores the mechanism of variable-range hopping in disordered semiconductors at extremely low temperatures.

## Examples

- The new club is really hopping tonight.
- The downtown area is usually hopping on Friday nights when the local markets and bars are all open.
- While the rest of the mall was quiet, the food court was hopping with students celebrating the end of their exams.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.