pop in

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

pop¹ /pɑp/   v., popped, pop•ping, n., adv. 
v. 

1. to (cause to) make a short, quick, explosive sound: [no object]
   The cork popped.
   [~ + object]
   He popped the cork off the bottle.
2. to burst open with such a sound, as chestnuts or corn in roasting: [no object]
   The balloons popped.
   [~ + object]
   Someone was going around with a pin and popping all the balloons.
3. to come or go quickly, suddenly, or when not expected:
   [no object] She just popped by and said hello.
See pop in below.
4. to shoot with a gun: [no object]
   to pop at a mark.
   [~ + object]
   to pop a few bullets at them.
5. (of eyes) to grow round or very wide open, as if sticking out from the sockets:
   [no object] His eyes nearly popped out of his head when the president walked up to him and said hello.
6. to put or thrust quickly:
   [~ + object] Pop the muffins into the oven.
7. Informal Terms, Drugs [~ + object]
   • to swallow (pills), esp. as a habit:
     popping pills: uppers and downers.
8. Slang Terms pop for, [~ + object] to pay for, esp. as a treat:
   said he would pop for the dinner.
9. pop in, [no object] [Informal.] to visit briefly;
   drop by:
   She just popped in, stayed a while, and left.
10. pop off, [no object] [Informal.]
    • to die suddenly.
    • to say too much or speak angrily or indiscreetly:
      kept popping off about how hard his job was.
11. pop up, [no object] to appear or show up suddenly:
    She pops up at the oddest times.

n. 

12. [countable] a short, quick, explosive sound.
13. [countable] a popping.
14. [countable] a shot with a firearm.
15. Informal Terms soda pop:
    [uncountable] They call it soda in the Eastern U.S. and pop in the Midwest.

adv. 

16. with an explosive sound:
    The balloon went pop.

Idioms

17. Idioms, Slang Terms a pop, [Slang.] each;
    apiece:
    Those dinners cost twenty-five dollars a pop.
18. Idioms pop the question, [Informal.] to propose marriage:
    finally found the courage to pop the question.

pop² /pɑp/   adj. 

1. of or relating to popular songs:
   pop music.
2. of or relating to pop art.
3. reflecting or aimed at the general masses of people:
   pop culture.

n. [uncountable]

4. popular music:
   brought pop to a new height.
5. pop art.

-pop-, root. 

1. -pop- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "people.'' This meaning is found in such words as: populace, popular, popularity, popularize, populate, populous.

pop.,  an abbreviation of:

1. population.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pop-in  (pop′in′), adj. 

1. requiring only a quick insertion into a receptacle to be ready for use:
   pop-in film cassettes; a pop-in frozen dinner.

• adjective, adjectival use of verb, verbal phrase pop in

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

pop¹  (pop), v., popped, pop•ping, n., adv., adj. 
v.i. 

1. to make a short, quick, explosive sound:
   The cork popped.
2. to burst open with such a sound, as chestnuts or corn in roasting.
3. to come or go quickly, suddenly, or unexpectedly:
   She popped into the kitchen to check the stove.
4. to shoot with a firearm:
   to pop at a mark.
5. to protrude from the sockets:
   The news made her eyes pop.
6. Sport [Baseball.]
   • to hit a pop fly (often fol. by up).
   • to pop out.

v.t. 

7. to cause to make a sudden, explosive sound.
8. to cause to burst open with such a sound.
9. to open suddenly or violently:
   to pop the hood on a car; to pop the tab on a beer can.
10. to put or thrust quickly, suddenly, or unexpectedly:
    He popped the muffins into the oven.
11. Informal Terms to cause to fire;
    discharge:
    He popped his rifle at the bird.
12. to shoot (usually fol. by at, off, etc.):
    He popped off bottles with a slingshot.
13. British Terms to pawn.
14. Informal Terms, Drugs
    • to take or swallow (pills), esp. in excess or habitually;
      take orally in a compulsive or addictive way:
      Popping all those pills will land him in the hospital.
    • to eat in a continual or thoughtless manner, as snack foods:
      popping peanuts at the movies.
15. pop for, [Slang.] to pay or buy for oneself or another, esp. as a gift or treat;
    spring for:
    I'll pop for the first round of drinks.
16. pop in, [Informal.] to visit briefly and unexpectedly;
    stop in;
    drop by:
    Maybe we'll pop in after the movie.
17. pop off, [Informal.]
    • to die, esp. suddenly.
    • to depart, esp. abruptly.
    • to express oneself volubly or excitedly and sometimes irately or indiscreetly:
      He popped off about the injustice of the verdict.
18. pop out, [Baseball.] to be put out by hitting a pop fly caught on the fly by a player on the opposing team.
19. pop the question, [Informal.] to propose marriage:
    They dated for two years before he popped the question.
20. Sport pop up, [Baseball.] to hit a pop fly.

n. 

21. a short, quick, explosive sound.
22. a popping.
23. a shot with a firearm.
24. Informal Terms See soda pop. 
25. Wine a drink or portion of an alcoholic beverage, as a drink of whiskey or a glass of beer:
    We had a couple of pops on the way home.
26. Sport [Baseball.] See pop fly. 
27. a pop, [Slang.] each;
    apiece:
    five orchids at $30 a pop.

adv. 

28. with an explosive sound:
    The balloon went pop.
29. quickly, suddenly, or unexpectedly:
    Pop, the door flew open!

adj. 

30. Informal Terms unexpected;
    without prior warning or announcement:
    The teacher gave us a pop quiz.

• 1375–1425; late Middle English (noun, nominal) poppe a blow; (verb, verbal) poppen to strike; of expressive origin, originally

Synonyms

• 3. appear, burst.

Regional Variation

24. See soda pop. 

pop²  (pop), adj. 

1. of or pertaining to popular songs:
   pop music; pop singers.
2. of or pertaining to pop art.
3. reflecting or aimed at the tastes of the general masses of people:
   pop culture; pop novels.

n. 

4. popular music:
   It's the first time she's sung pop.
5. See pop art. 

• shortening of popular 1860–65

pop³  (pop), n. [Informal.]

1. Informal Terms father.

• short form of poppa 1820–30

pop⁴  (pop), n. 

1. a frozen ice or ice-cream confection on a stick.

• probably shortening of Popsicle

POP, 

1. proof-of-purchase.

pop., 

1. popular.
2. popularly.
3. population.

P.O.P., 

1. Photography See printout paper. 
2. point-of-purchase.

p.o.p., 

1. point-of-purchase.