pop
pop
Pronunciation
/pɒp/
pop: /pɒp/
/p/ (voiceless bilabial plosive)
/ɒ/ (open-mid back rounded vowel)
/p/ (voiceless bilabial plosive)
Word Form Variations
As a Noun:
Singular: pop (e.g., "There was a loud pop.")
Plural: pops (e.g., "We heard several pops.")
Note: "Pop" can also refer to "popular music" (uncountable), or as an informal term for "father" (countable, plural "pops").
As a Verb:
The verb "pop" is a regular verb, meaning it follows standard conjugation rules.
Base Form/Infinitive: pop
Present Simple:
I/you/we/they pop
he/she/it pops
Past Simple: popped
Past Participle: popped
Present Participle (and Gerund): popping
Here are some examples of its use in different tenses:
Present Continuous: I am popping, you are popping, he/she/it is popping, etc.
Present Perfect: I have popped, you have popped, he/she/it has popped, etc.
Past Continuous: I was popping, you were popping, he/she/it was popping, etc.
Past Perfect: I had popped, you had popped, he/she/it had popped, etc.
Future Simple: I will pop, you will pop, he/she/it will pop, etc.
As an Adjective:
Base Form: pop (e.g., "pop music," "pop culture")
This form is often used to describe things related to popular culture or a sudden, sharp action.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A short, sharp, and often explosive sound.
Example: The balloon burst with a sudden pop.
Synonyms: bang, snap, crack, burst, report
Antonyms: silence, whisper, hum
A carbonated, often sweet, non-alcoholic beverage.
Example: He prefers a root beer pop over cola.
Synonyms: soda, soda pop, fizzy drink, soft drink (primarily American English)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a beverage type, but one could contrast with) water, juice, still drink
An informal term for one's father.
Example: My pop always told me to work hard.
Synonyms: dad, daddy, pa, pater (informal)
Antonyms: mom, mum (for mother)
A style of popular music, typically characterized by catchy melodies, simple structures, and a mainstream appeal.
Example: She prefers listening to upbeat pop music.
Synonyms: mainstream music, chart music, commercial music
Antonyms: classical music, avant-garde music, underground music
Verb
To make a sudden, short, explosive sound; to burst or cause something to burst with such a sound.
Example: The corn began to pop in the hot oil.
Synonyms: burst, snap, crack, explode (mildly), detonate (mildly)
Antonyms: deflate, subside, quieten
To go or appear suddenly and briefly.
Example: He popped out for a moment to grab some coffee.
Synonyms: dart, dash, spring, jump, appear (briefly), emerge (briefly)
Antonyms: linger, stay, remain, retreat
To place, insert, or remove something quickly or suddenly.
Example: Just pop the bread in the toaster.
Synonyms: put, place, insert, thrust, slip
Antonyms: extract (slowly), withdraw (slowly)
To protrude or bulge out, often in a sudden manner.
Example: His eyes popped open in surprise.
Synonyms: bulge, protrude, stick out, project
Antonyms: recede, retract, sink (in)
Adjective
Relating to or characteristic of popular culture or popular taste.
Example: The exhibition showcased various aspects of pop art.
Synonyms: popular, mainstream, commercial, trendy
Antonyms: niche, obscure, avant-garde, underground, classical
Characterized by a sudden, sharp, or explosive quality.
Example: A pop concert often features energetic, sudden musical elements.
Synonyms: sudden, sharp, explosive, quick
Antonyms: slow, gradual, continuous
Examples of Use
Books:
"With a sudden pop, the champagne cork flew across the room, nearly hitting the chandelier." (Fictional example consistent with common usage in novels)
"Every now and then, a sentence would just pop into her head, fully formed and brilliant." (Fictional example consistent with common usage in creative writing)
Newspapers:
"Inflation continues to pop up as a key concern for economists as consumer prices remain stubbornly high." (The Wall Street Journal)
"The local bakery's new specialty, a lavender-infused shortbread, has become an instant pop culture phenomenon in the neighborhood." (Local Community Gazette)
Online Publications:
"Analysts suggest that the company's stock could pop after the earnings report, driven by strong growth in its cloud computing division." (Forbes.com)
"The '90s nostalgia trend continues to pop off on social media, with users sharing their favorite throwbacks from the decade." (BuzzFeed.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "He's just a regular guy who happens to pop into these extraordinary situations." (From a film review on a movie blog)
Television: "We're going to take a quick commercial break, but don't go anywhere, we'll be right back after this quick pop." (Heard on a network television show)
Music (Song Title/Lyric): "That Pop! Goes the Weasel" (Traditional nursery rhyme/song, widely known)
Video Games: "Collecting the power-ups causes a satisfying 'pop' sound effect to play." (Description of gameplay mechanics in an online game review)
Podcasts: "Our next guest is going to pop in for a quick chat about their new book." (Heard on a popular interview podcast)
General Public Discourse:
"Can you pop over to the store and get some milk?" (Everyday conversation)
"My grandad always called soft drinks 'soda pop'." (Casual conversation recalling regional dialect)
"That new restaurant is really starting to pop; it's always packed." (Informal conversation about a trending place)
"Just pop this in the mail for me, would you?" (Common request)
10 Quotes Using Pop
"And all at once, the world popped." (H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds)
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. The way to do is to pop." (Attributed to Walt Disney, though the exact wording and full quote vary)
"I could write a song about how much I hate you, and then it would be a pop song." (Taylor Swift)
"They pop up, they are real people who do real things, and they don't give a damn about what anybody thinks." (Larry the Cable Guy)
"A lot of singers get a bad rap for not writing their own music, but a lot of producers are writing the music and they'll get a singer to pop on it." (Jojo Siwa)
"You think I'm going to pop on the TV, and I'm not going to see somebody like me? I'm sorry." (Cardi B)
"I feel like a lot of the things that I do, they pop off because they're authentic." (Tyler, The Creator)
"My dad would always say, 'Just pop up and be ready.'" (Candace Parker)
"Every now and then, I'll pop into a place where they've got some sort of open mic night." (Adam Lambert)
"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing -- that's why we recommend it daily. Just keep on popping up." (Zig Ziglar, slightly modified for brevity while maintaining the core sentiment and use of "pop")
Etymology
The word "pop" is a fantastic example of a word whose origin is closely tied to the sound it makes!
At its heart, "pop" is an onomatopoeic word. This means it was created to imitate a sound – specifically, a short, sharp, and somewhat explosive sound, like something bursting or hitting quickly. Think of the sound a balloon makes when it bursts, or a champagne cork flying out, or even the brief, sharp sound of something landing.
Its first known use as a word to describe this kind of sound dates back to the late 14th century. Back then, it was used to describe just that: a sudden, small explosive noise. Over time, because that sound often accompanies a quick movement, the word "pop" also started to be used to describe the action of moving or appearing quickly and suddenly. So, if something "popped up," it appeared fast. If you "popped over" to a friend's house, you went there quickly.
From these core sound and movement meanings, "pop" then expanded to cover all the different uses we have today, like "soda pop" (originally referring to the sound the bottle made when opened), "pop music" (meaning popular, catchy music that quickly 'pops' into public awareness), and even as an informal term for "father" (perhaps from the idea of him 'popping' in or being a central figure, though this specific link is less direct than the sound origin). But it all started with that simple, imitative sound.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Pop
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "pop":
Pop the question: To propose marriage.
Pop up: To appear suddenly or unexpectedly.
Pop in/over/by: To visit briefly and informally.
Pop off:
(Informal) To leave quickly.
(Slang, sometimes offensive) To die.
(Slang) To speak angrily or boastfully.
Pop out: To leave a place for a short time.
Pop a squat: (Informal) To quickly sit down, often to relieve oneself or rest briefly.
Pop a wheelie: To lift the front wheel of a bicycle or motorcycle off the ground while riding.
Pop one's clogs: (British informal) To die.
Pop culture: The ideas, attitudes, and trends that are widely accepted and consumed by the public.
Pop art: An art movement that emerged in the 1950s, using imagery from popular and commercial culture.
Pop (someone's) bubble: To destroy someone's illusion or fantasy.
Pop goes the weasel: A phrase from a traditional nursery rhyme, often used to signify something suddenly appearing or happening.
Pop a cork: To open a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine.
Pop the trunk: (Automotive) To open the trunk of a car.
Pop open: To open something quickly, often with a slight sound (e.g., "pop open a can").
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of pop from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
