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'The news almost caught us on the hop!'
- Thread starter Mehrgan
- Start date
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JMurray
Key Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2010
- Member Type
- Interested in Language
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- New Zealand
- Current Location
- Australia
"On the hop" merely means that it caught you by surprise, unprepared, so the news needn't be shocking but the implication is often that it's inconvenient.
"My friend's wedding announcement caught us on the hop a bit, we were planning to be out of town that weekend".
not a teacher
"My friend's wedding announcement caught us on the hop a bit, we were planning to be out of town that weekend".
not a teacher
Raymott
VIP Member
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2008
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- Academic
- Native Language
- English
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- Australia
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- Australia
I haven't heard "almost on the hop". It either caught you on the hop or it didn't.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2011
- Member Type
- Retired English Teacher
- Native Language
- English
- Home Country
- Canada
- Current Location
- Canada
Me neither. I think he meant nearly rather than almost.
I also think caught us on the hop is exclusively BrE.
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