hopper

plural hoppers

1. One who or that which hops.
2. A temporary storage bin, filled from the top and emptied from the bottom, often funnel-shaped.

   ...forming the bottom of the hopper, in combination with the recriprocating longitudinal movement of the same, for the purpose of regulating the feed from the hopper, substantially as herein set forth.

   1847, editorial staff, “Winnowing Machines”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 68

   Synonyms: feedbin

3. A funnel-shaped section at the top of a drainpipe used to collect water, from above, from one or more smaller drainpipes.
4. A bin or device that feeds material into a machine.

   Having thus fully described my improved winnowing machine, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is in the forming of a series of shoulders one above another on the inclined board, forming the bottom of the hopper,...

   1847, editorial staff, “Winnowing Machines”, in Scientific American, series 1, Volume 3, Issue 9, page 68

   Synonyms: feeder, feedbin

5. Any of various insects known for hopping, especially a grasshopper or locust, the immature form of a locust, or the larva of various flies and beetles.

   I went over and found the mealies and ground covered with large hoppers, about two weeks old.

   1901, J. H. Stansell, “Locust Destruction”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record, volume 4, page 21

   1 more example

   “And the next year the hoppers came. The sky was so dark with them we had to light the lamps at midday.”

   1975, Larry Woiwode, Beyond the Bedroom Wall, page 27

6. An artificial fishing lure.

   To catch a big fish, use a hopper that jumps across the pond surface.

7. slangA toilet.

   The fresh-water container for the house was above the ceiling directly over the toilet. One day, I was comfortably seated on the hopper minding my own business, when a large portion of the ceiling came crashing down […]

   2010, Robert Hudson, Stories of an Unusual Life, page 250

8. entertainmentAn escapement lever in a piano.
9. obsoleteThe game of hopscotch.
10. A window with hinges at the bottom, opened by tilting vertically.
11. A hopper car.
12. board gamesA fairy chess piece which moves only by jumping over another piece.

    The Leo, Pao (or Cannon, a piece from Chinese chess) and Vao (Z.Mach FCR 1940) are hybrid hoppers that move like a queen, rook or bishop and capture along these lines like a lion.

    2010 August 21, G. P. Jelliss, “Simple Chess Variants”, in Mayhematics, page 11

13. A person or machine that picks hops.

plural hoppers

1. A Sri Lankan pancake made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk, and palm toddy or yeast.

   Hoppers come in different varieties and can be sweet or savoury, while an egg hopper has an egg in the middle added during cooking.

   2010, Channa Dassanayaka, Sri Lankan Flavours, page 20

1. A surname.
2. An unincorporated community in Stronghurst Township, Henderson County, Illinois, United States.
3. An unincorporated community in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, United States.