Have a pop at means: To attack or start a fight with something or someone.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. It has drug-related associations; worth a calm conversation about which side of the topic your teen is on. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
have a pop at
(UK, slang, transitive) To attack or start a fight with something or someone.
Definitions
(UK, slang, transitive) To attack or start a fight with something or someone.
I called this guy gay, and then he had a pop at me.
Have a pop at means: To attack or start a fight with something or someone.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. It has drug-related associations; worth a calm conversation about which side of the topic your teen is on. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
have a pop at means: To attack or start a fight with something or someone.. Register: very informal, often derogatory or vulgar. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Other words near "have a pop at" (H)
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- pop on71%
(transitive, informal, UK) To turn on.
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(intransitive, informal, idiomatic, UK, Australia) To attack someone physically; to have a fight.
- pop off68%
To go off intensely — either positive ("pop off, queen!" = go do your thing) or negative (explode at someone). "He popped off on stage" is a compliment; "she popped off in the group chat" is a warning. Tone is everything.
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(slang, AAVE) Lively and full of action or excitement.
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(slang, vulgar, originally, _, AAVE) To shoot someone with a gun.