jump through hoops
verbEtymology Reminiscent of a circus animal performing tricks by jumping through hoops.
1
Idiomatic To put forth great effort to meet requirements, usually arbitrary, set by someone.
- They really made the salesman jump through hoops before buying anything.
- If learning is deemed valuable and important to the student, then the educator doesn't need a scripted curriculum or a fad initiative that has students and the educator jumping through hoops.2010, Brad Johnson, Tammy Maxson McElroy, The Edutainer: Connecting the Art and Science of Teaching, page 141:
2 more examples
- If a government says to citizens, “We will punish you for abstaining, unless you jump through the following legal hoops,” it is still coercing citizens.2014, Jason Brennan, Lisa Hill, Compulsory Voting: For and Against, page 19:
- Caregivers also described having to “jump through hoops” to accomplish what they needed.2020, Kevin J. Mahoney, Ellen K. Mahoney, Michelle Putnam, Self-Direction in Long Term Services and Supports:
- Related terms
- put through hoops