Definition

1. Noun:

   • A style of jazz music: An early, fast, and complex form of modern jazz that developed in the 1940s, also known as bebop. It is characterized by fast tempos, improvisation based on harmonic structure, and complex melodies and rhythms.
   • A blow or hit: (Informal) A quick, sharp punch or blow.

2. Verb:

   • To hit or strike: (Informal) To hit someone or something quickly and sharply.
   • To dance to pop or jazz music: (Informal) To dance, especially in a rhythmic, informal way to popular music.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Music):
  • Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were pioneers of bop.
  • The club was famous for its live bop sessions in the 1950s.
• Noun (A hit):
  • He gave the malfunctioning machine a quick bop with his wrench.
• Verb (To hit):
  • She bopped the balloon to keep it in the air.
  • The cartoon character got bopped on the head.
• Verb (To dance):
  • We spent the whole night bopping to the latest tunes.
  • The crowd was bopping along to the band's energetic performance.

Advanced Usage

• "Bop around": To move or travel in a casual, energetic, or bouncing manner.
  • We spent the afternoon bopping around the city, visiting different cafes.
• "On the bop": (British English, dated slang) Engaged in a spree of dancing or partying.
  • They were out on the bop every night that week.

Variants and Related Words

• Bebop (n): The full name for the "bop" style of jazz music. Often used interchangeably with "bop."
• Bopper (n, informal): A person who enjoys dancing to pop music, especially associated with the 1950s (e.g., teenybopper) or a fan of bebop jazz.
• Boppy (adj, informal): Having a lively, rhythmic quality suitable for dancing to.
  • The song has a very boppy beat.

Synonyms

• For music style: Bebop, modern jazz.
• For a hit: Smack, whack, thump, tap.
• For dancing: Dance, groove, jive.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Bop off: (Slang) To leave or go away.
  • It's getting late; I should bop off.
• Bop over: (Informal) To go to a place quickly or casually.
  • I'll just bop over to the store to get some milk.

Related Idioms

• "(It's) a bop": (Modern slang) Said of a song that is very catchy, energetic, and good for dancing to.
  • Have you heard that new single? It's a total bop!
• "Bop till you drop": To dance energetically until one is exhausted.
  • At the school dance, they vowed to bop till they dropped.

Noun

1. an early form of modern jazz (originating around 1940)
2. the law enforcement agency of the Justice Department that operates a nationwide system of prisons and detention facilities to incarcerate inmates sentenced to imprisonment for federal crimes

Verb

1. hit hard
2. dance the bebop