n. a short distance. Also, hop′, skip′, and jump′.[1750–60]
hop, skip, and a jump
hop, skip, and a jump
A short distance, as in It's just a hop, skip, and a jump from my house to yours. This expression, dating from the early 1700s, originally referred to an exercise or game involving these movements, but by the mid-1800s was also being used figuratively for the short distance so covered. See also: and, jump