This idiom describes undergoing a series of difficult, demanding, or excessive tasks, requirements, or obstacles to achieve a goal, often implying unnecessary effort or bureaucratic hassle, as if performing like a circus animal jumping through hoops. It conveys frustration with complex processes or high expectations, used in professional, bureaucratic, or personal contexts to critique arduous demands. The phrase carries a tone of exasperation, perseverance, or irony, reflecting cultural critiques of overcomplicated systems and the human struggle to meet stringent standards. It resonates in societies where efficiency is valued but often thwarted by red tape or gatekeeping, highlighting the lengths one must go to for approval or success.

The phrase originated in 19th-century Britain or America, tied to circus performances where animals, like dogs or lions, were trained to jump through hoops, symbolizing impressive but contrived effort. An early metaphorical use appears in an 1874 *London Times* article, describing bureaucrats making applicants ‘jump through hoops.’ The idiom gained traction in the late 19th century, reflecting growing administrative complexity, as seen in Charles Dickens’ *Little Dorrit* (1857), which critiques bureaucracy. Its use grew in 20th-century American English, particularly during the expansion of corporate and government systems, amplified by journalism and literature like John Steinbeck’s *The Grapes of Wrath* (1939), where characters face endless obstacles. The phrase’s adoption in British English was reinforced through global commerce, and its vivid imagery, rooted in the circus’s spectacle, and its applicability to bureaucratic and social challenges ensured its widespread use across English-speaking cultures, from job applications to legal processes.