to pop the question
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To propose or make an offer of marriage. As this important demand is supposed to be unexpected, the question is said to be "popped.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to pop the question” mean?
To propose or make an offer of marriage. As this important demand is supposed to be unexpected, the question is said to be "popped.
Is “to pop the question” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.