pop up

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-up  (pop′up′), adj. 

1. Printing (of books, usually children's books) having pieces of artwork fastened to the pages so that when the page is opened, a three-dimensional cutout or object is formed and, sometimes, movement of a picture element, such as a door opening, can be activated by pulling a tab.
2. of or being a device that ejects or raises a finished or used item from the top:
   a pop-up toaster.
3. of or pertaining to a device, mechanism, or object that rises or pivots from a concealed or recessed position to its operating position:
   a camera with a pop-up electronic flash; a car with pop-up headlights.
4. popping up, as from an appliance or object:
   pop-up waffles heated in the toaster; a pop-up gauge for indicating when the turkey is done.

n. 

5. Printing a pop-up book.
6. something, as a partially cut out or spring-mounted illustration in a children's book, that unfolds or springs up when opened or otherwise activated;
   pop-out:
   a Christmas card with a pop-up of Santa Claus.
7. [Baseball.] See pop fly. 

Also, pop′up′. 

• noun, nominal, adjective, adjectival use of verb, verbal phrase pop up 1860–65 for def. 7

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.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

pop-up adjective

1. (of an appliance) characterized by or having a mechanism that pops up: a pop-up toaster
2. (of a book) having pages that rise when opened to simulate a three-dimensional form
3. (of a menu on a computer screen, etc) suddenly appearing when an option is selected

verb pop up

1. (intr, adverb) to appear suddenly from below

noun

1. something that appears over or above the open window on a computer screen