Meaning & use
pops socks
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Meanings
phraseidiominformalfigurative
Makes someone feel extremely happy and excited, as if they can hardly contain themselves.
Grammar: Used with a possessive word before 'socks': it pops my socks, it popped her socks. The thing that causes the feeling comes first.
Patterns
- something pops someone's socks
- it popped my socks
- that news popped everyone's socks
The surprise party really popped her socks, and she talked about it for weeks.
Getting that scholarship popped my socks; I never expected to win it.
Their new album popped everyone's socks when it came out last summer.
phraseidiominformalfigurative
Used to say that something is very surprising and impressive.
Grammar: Often used with 'really' or 'just' to strengthen the effect: it really pops your socks.
Patterns
- something really pops someone's socks
- it just pops your socks
The view from the top of the hill popped my socks the first time I saw it.
That goal in the last minute popped the socks of every fan in the stadium.
Common combinations
- really pop someone's socks
- The final scene of the film really popped my socks.
- pop someone's socks off
- Her singing popped my socks off at the school concert.
- it popped my socks
- When they told me the price, it popped my socks.
- pop the socks of someone
- The magic trick popped the socks of the whole audience.
- something to pop your socks
- We need something to pop your socks for the opening night.
Synonyms and how they differ
- thrill
- 'Thrill' is a normal verb meaning to make someone very excited, and it fits formal and written English better than this slang phrase.
- delight
- 'Delight' is slightly more formal and suggests gentle pleasure rather than the loud excitement this phrase suggests.
- blow someone away
- This is also informal and means to impress someone strongly, but it focuses on amazement rather than happiness.
Opposites
Word family
- sock noun
- A soft piece of clothing worn on the foot; the literal meaning behind this phrase.
Commonly confused: pops socks or pop one's clogs?
pops socks vs pop one's clogs
This British idiom means to die, not to be delighted, so the two phrases are very different in meaning.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase needs a possessive word before 'socks' and the cause comes first: something pops someone's socks. Option 2 puts the object in the wrong place, option 3 adds an unnecessary 'off me', and option 4 changes the fixed word order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pops socks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.