Hop
To hop is to launch my body from both feet at once, like a bunny. The bunny hop is a part of the dance at many weddings, where we all get in a circle, one behind the other, and we go, hop hop hop, kick left kick right hop hop hop. To hop is a dancing kind of move. Happy children (and adults too) often hop. I have seen deer hop when they play with each other. If I say the place is a hopping, that means many happy people
A hop, skip and a jump is a measure of distance, meaning just over there, not far. There is a game called hop scotch where the players take turns hopping across a pattern made on the cement with chalk. There are single and multiple length hops, hops with one foot, with two feet with feet together and with feet apart. It is most fun to play hop scotch with 4 or 3 or 2 people. Hop, hop
Hop to it, is to get at a task quick, like a bunny. In many places one can get a hop on, hop off pass for transportation. Touring around a city is one example. In Halifax there is this monstrous, amphibious vehicle called the Hopper. It takes you all around town and then into the water to see the harbour. Fun. Another fun hop on/off service is the local wine tour bus. You can hop off, stay a while, then hop on the next one
Hop-along-Cassidy is a fabled cowboy who had an injured leg so would hop along wherever he walked. To hop along as he did is to hop with one foot only. The TV show ‘The Real McCoys’ included a character simply referred to as Grandpa, and he hopped along with one foot too. Hopping is generally a moving from one place to another action
Yet, hopping on the spot is a common exercise move. It is also an expression of exuberant excitement to hop on the spot. Grandchildren do it when we are heading out for ice cream and I’m not getting my shoes on fast enough. To hop is an important skill. Otherwise, how would I hop a flight to another city? How would I hop onto the trolley in San Francisco?
How would I hop on over to visit you?