popcorn
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pop·corn /'pɒpkɔːn||'pɑːpkɔːrn/ n [U] a type of MAIZE that swells and bursts open when heated, usually eaten warm with salt and butter or sweetened with sugar. People often eat popcorn while they are watching a film at the cinema.
Pope, pope /pəʊp/ n 1 the leader of the Roman Catholic church: The Pope will visit El Salvador this year. | Pope John XXIII → see also PAPAL 2 Is the Pope (a) Catholic? infml humor used to say that something is clearly true or certain: "Do you think they'll win?" "Is the Pope Catholic?"
Pope, Al·ex·an·der /ˌælɪɡˈzɑndə || -ˈzæn-/ (1688–1744) a British poet and SATIRIST whose best known works are The Rape of the Lock and The Dunciad. He is known for his use of the HEROIC COUPLET in his poems. He also produced very popular translations of the poems of Homer.
pop·e·ry /'pəʊpəri/ n [U] derog, especially old use the teachings and forms of worship of the Roman Catholic Church
'pope's nose n AmE for PARSON'S NOSE
Pop·eye /'pɒpaɪ||'pɑː-/ a character also called Popeye the Sailorman, in a US CARTOON STRIP and CARTOON films. Popeye is a sailor who smokes a pipe, and when he eats cans of SPINACH (=a vegetable with large dark green leaves) his muscles immediately grow much bigger and he becomes very strong.
, pop-'eyed adj infml having the eyes wide open, especially with surprise or excitement
'pop fly n (in BASEBALL) a ball which is hit into the air and travels only a short distance: a pop fly to first base
, Pop Goes the 'Weasel an old British song for children:
Half a pound of tuppenny rice,
Half a pound of treacle;
That's the way the money goes,
Pop goes the weasel!
'pop group n a group of people who sing and/or play POP
pop·gun /'pɒpgʌn||'pɑːg-/ n a toy gun that fires small objects, especially CORKS with a loud noise
'Pop ,Idol a competition in which young people who want to become POPSTARS are chosen to appear on a television show after AUDITIONS (=short performances that are judged to see if someone is good enough) in different parts of the country. Each week on the television show each person sings well-known POP SONGS and the judges give their opinions about the performances. The public votes by telephone to decide which person must leave the competition. The show has been presented by two men called Ant and Dec, and the judges who have appeared on the show include Simon Cowell and Pete Waterman. The singers Will Young and Gareth Gates became famous after appearing on Pop Idol. There is a similar television show in the US called American Idol.
pop·in·jay /'pɒpɪndʒeɪ||'pɑː-/ n derog old use a showily-dressed young man who is full of self-admiration
pop·ish /'pəʊpɪʃ/ adj derog, especially old use Roman Catholic
→ ness n [U]
pop·lar /'pɒplə ||'pɑːplər-/ n a very tall straight thin tree
pop·lin /'pɒplɪn||'pɑːpl-/ n [U] a strong shiny cotton cloth: a poplin shirt
Pop·o·cat·é·pet·l /ˌpɒpəkætəˈpetlˌpəʊ-/ a mountain in Mexico which is a VOLCANO, known in the US and UK especially because its name is difficult to say
pop·o·ver /'pɒpəʊvə ||'pɑːp-/ n AmE a light hollow cake made with eggs, milk and flour and often filled with fruit: an apple popover → compare TURNOVER
pop·pa /'pɒpə||'pɑːpə/ n AmE infml a father
pop·pa·dum /'pɒpədəm||'pɑː-/ n a POPADUM
pop·per /'pɒpə ||'pɑː-/ n infml for PRESS-STUD
Popper, Sir Karl /kɑːl||kɑːrl/ (1902–94) a British PHILOSOPHER, born in Austria, who believed that ideas about the world must be proved scientifically. His best known book, The Open Society and its Enemies, is an attack on political systems in which the state has too much control, especially Communism.
pop·pet /'pɒpɪt||'pɑː-/ n BrE infml a child or animal that one loves or that pleases one: Come here, poppet. | Look at that little dog. Isn't he a poppet!
,pop psy'chology n [U] ways of dealing with personal problems that are made popular on television or in books, but are not considered scientific
pop·py /'pɒpi||'pɑːpi/ n a plant that has brightly coloured flowers, especially red ones → see Feature on page A19
CULTURAL NOTE For British people, the poppy represents the soldiers who died in the two World Wars, especially World War I, because these flowers grew in the fields of France where many soldiers were killed in battle. People buy red poppies made of paper and wear them on their coats on Remembrance Day (informally known as Poppy Day) in order to show respect for all the people who died.
pop·py·cock /'pɒpikɒk||'pɑːpikɑːk/ n [U] infml foolish nonsense: He's talking pure poppycock!
pop·py·seed /'pɒpisid||'pɑ-/ n the small black seeds of the poppy plant used in food, especially bread or cakes: poppyseed rolls
pops /pɒps||pɑːps/ adj AmE (of music) being or connected with familiar CLASSICAL MUSIC or popular music played by an ORCHESTRA: a pops concert | Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops Orchestra
Pop·si·cle /'pɒpsɪkəl||'pɑː-/ n AmE trademark a piece of ice, usually tasting of fruit, that you suck on a stick
'pop ,singer n a person who sings pop songs
'pop song n a modern popular song usually of a simple kind with a strong beat, liked especially by young people
pop·star /'pɒpstɑː ||'pɑːrp-/ n a famous and successful POP musician
'Pop Tarts trademark a type of square, flat PASTRY filled with fruit or chocolate, which you heat in a TOASTER and eat for breakfast. They are especially popular with children.
pop·u·lace /'pɒpjʊləs||'pɑː-/ n [the+sing./pl. v] fml all the people of a country, especially those without high social position, wealth etc; the MASSES: Panic had spread among the populace as a result of the rumours.
pop·u·lar /'pɒpjʊlə ||'pɑːp-/ adj 1 [(with)] liked by many people: a popular holiday resort | a popular decision that almost everyone approved of | That teacher's very popular with her pupils. | (humor) You'll be popular when they find out you've broken their window! (=they will be angry with you) → opposite UNPOPULAR 2 general; common; widespread: 'Mary' used to be quite a popular name for a girl. 3 [A] sometimes derog suited to the understanding, liking, or needs of most ordinary people: popular science | The popular newspapers take a great interest in the royal family. 4 [A no comp.] of or from the general public: popular opinion | The TV series was brought back by popular demand. (=because lots of people wanted it) a policy that enjoys wide popular support | It's a popular misconception (=lots of people think, wrongly) that nearly all snakes are poisonous. → see also POPULARLY
,popular 'capitalism n [U] a RIGHT-WING political and economic system where the aim is for people to pay lower taxes and for the government to spend less money on houses, hospitals etc. The government also encourages people to buy their own homes and to start their own small businesses. These ideas were particularly fashionable in Britain during the 1980s.
pop·u·lar·i·ty /ˌpɒpjʊˈlærɪti||ˌpɑːp-/ n [U] the quality of being well liked, approved of, or admired: the President's declining popularity → opposite UNPOPULARITY
pop·u·lar·ize also -ise BrE /'pɒpjʊləraɪz||'pɑːp-/ v [T] 1 to cause to be well known and generally liked or used: Reggae music was popularized by Bob Marley in the 1970s. 2 to make (a difficult subject or idea) easily understandable to ordinary people ——ization /ˌpɒpjʊlərɪˈzeɪʃn||ˌpɑːpjʊlərə-/ n [U]
pop·u·lar·ly /'pɒpjʊləli||'pɑːpjʊlərli/ adv generally; by most people: It's popularly believed that taking large amounts of vitamin C cures colds.
,popular 'press, the newspapers read by less educated people and which are more concerned with sex, violence, funny events, and the private lives of film or TV stars than with national and international news → see also GUTTER PRESS, TABLOID; compare QUALITY PAPER
pop·u·late /'pɒpjʊleɪt||'pɑːp-/ v [T] 1 [often pass.] (of a group) to live in (an area); INHABIT: This side of the island is populated mainly by fishermen. | a densely-populated area 2 (of a group) to come and live in (an area): The new land was quickly populated by settlers from abroad.