cop out

cop ¹  (kp)

n. Informal

1. A police officer.

2. One that regulates certain behaviors or actions: "Faced with the world recession of the early 1980s, ... the World Bank ... became a stern economic taskmaster and cop" (Richard J. Barnet).

---

[Short for copper.]

---

cop ²  (kp) Slang

tr.v. copped, cop·ping, cops

1. To take unlawfully or without permission; steal. See Synonyms at steal.

2.

a. To get hold of; gain or win: a show that copped four awards; copped a ticket to the game.

b. To take or catch: "copped a quick look at the gentleman in a caramel cashmere sport coat on the right" (Gail Sheehy).

Phrasal Verb:

cop out

To avoid fulfilling a commitment or responsibility; renege: copped out on my friends; copped out by ducking the issue.

Idiom:

cop a plea

To plead guilty to a lesser charge so as to avoid standing trial for a more serious charge.

---

[Probably variant of cap, to catch, from Old French caper, from Latin capere; see capture.]

---

cop ³  (kp)

n.

1. A cone-shaped or cylindrical roll of yarn or thread wound on a spindle.

2. Chiefly British A summit or crest, as of a hill.

---

[Middle English, summit, from Old English.]

---

cop out Slang

vb

(intr, adverb) to fail to assume responsibility or to commit oneself

n cop-out

1. an instance of avoiding responsibility or commitment

2. a person who acts in this way

[probably from cop¹]

Thesaurus

Verb

1.

cop out - choose not to do something, as out of fear of failing; "She copped out when she was supposed to get into the hang glider" opt out opt, prefer, choose - select as an alternative over another; "I always choose the fish over the meat courses in this restaurant"; "She opted for the job on the East coast"

---

cop out

verb (Slang) avoid, dodge, abandon, withdraw from, desert, quit, skip, renounce, revoke, renege, skive (Brit. slang), bludge (Austral. & N.Z. informal) He copped out of going at the last minute.

Translations

? cop out

vi (inf) → aussteigen (inf) → (of aus)