Definition

1. Noun:
   • A container with a funnel shape: A hopper is a funnel-shaped receptacle from which contents can pass downward by gravity into a receptacle below.
   • A person or thing that hops: A hopper is someone who hops, or an insect characterized by hopping.
   • A type of hit in baseball: In baseball, a hopper is a batted ball that travels along or bounces on the ground.
   • A machine for harvesting hops: A hopper is a machine used for picking the flowers of the hop plant.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Container):

  • The grain was poured into the hopper at the top of the mill.
  • The coal hopper feeds the furnace automatically.

• Noun (Person/Insect):

  • The grasshopper is a common insect hopper found in fields.
  • At the park, the best hoppers in the sack race were the younger kids.

• Noun (Baseball):

  • The batter hit a hard hopper straight to the shortstop, who threw him out.

• Noun (Machine):

  • The farm used a mechanical hopper to speed up the hop harvest.

Advanced Usage

• "In the hopper": An idiom meaning in process or under consideration, often used for legislative bills or projects.
  • The new tax bill is still in the hopper and hasn't been debated yet.

Variants and Related Words

• Hop (verb): To jump on one foot or to move by making short jumps.
• Hopper car (noun): A type of railroad freight car with a funnel-shaped bottom for unloading bulk material like grain or coal.
• Hopper barge / Hopper punt (noun): A barge with a hinged bottom for dumping dredged material.

Synonyms

• Funnel (for the container sense).
• Jumper or leaper (for the person/animal sense).
• Ground ball or grounder (for the baseball sense).

Related Phrasal Verbs

(This word is primarily a noun and does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)

Related Idioms

• In the hopper: As described in Advanced Usage, meaning in progress or awaiting processing.
  • We have several new designs in the hopper for next season.

Noun

1. (baseball) a hit that travels along the ground
2. terrestrial plant-eating insect with hind legs adapted for leaping
3. a machine used for picking hops
4. someone who hops
   • at hopscotch, the best hoppers are the children
5. funnel-shaped receptacle; contents pass by gravity into a receptacle below