puddle jumping

Verb

puddle jump (third-person singular simple present puddle jumps, present participle puddle jumping, simple past and past participle puddle jumped)

1. To take a short flight (on a puddle jumper).
   • I was concerned that you couldn't get into La Paz at 13,000 feet, and had to go over into Lima and puddle jump out of Lima into La Paz.1963, United States. Congress. House. Appropriations, Department of Defense Appropriations for 1964
2. To jump over or into puddles.
   • Not wanting to puddle jump across the parking lot if I didn't have to, I reached for my cell phone and called the club, only to get a busy signal.2002, Big City Blues - Volume 8, Issues 1-2, page 28
3. To take a short trip by boat, especially one that remains lose to shore
   • There are some dandy short cuts up there, if you don't mind puddle jumping. If you figure tide and current right, sometimes you can jump a puddle in a couple of good jumps, with the breakers boosting you.1939, Thomas Fleming Day, The Rudder - Volume 55, page 29
4. To move a small distance; to go from one small thing to another.
   • States will no longer be able to "puddle jump" among aid categories in order to take advantage of the more general federal matching formulas in some programs.1975, The American Legislator - Volume 1, page 116

See all 8 meanings of puddle jump