"cop out" meaning in English

See cop out in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

Audio: en-au-cop out.ogg Forms: cops out [present, singular, third-person], copping out [participle, present], copped out [participle, past], copped out [past]
Etymology: Attested since 1942 as “flee, escape, cop (an) out”. Head templates: {{en-verb|*}} cop out (third-person singular simple present cops out, present participle copping out, simple past and past participle copped out)
  1. (idiomatic) To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner. Tags: idiomatic Translations (to avoid or shirk): laistaa (Finnish), se défiler (French), λουφάρω (loufáro) (Greek), уви́ливать (uvílivatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), увильну́ть (uvilʹnútʹ) [perfective] (Russian), уклоня́ться (uklonjátʹsja) [imperfective] (Russian), уклони́ться (uklonítʹsja) [perfective] (Russian), отверте́ться (otvertétʹsja) [perfective] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-XMP9sEoE Disambiguation of 'to avoid or shirk': 87 4 3 1 0 3 3
  2. To plead guilty and ask for mercy.
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-ydlzkezs
  3. (idiomatic, slang) To blame; to assign blame to; to get into trouble. Tags: idiomatic, slang
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-rf-wSntH Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English phrasal verbs formed with "out", Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Russian translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 5 2 63 12 2 7 9 Disambiguation of English phrasal verbs formed with "out": 8 6 55 10 4 8 10 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 8 7 52 8 6 9 10 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 6 4 68 8 3 6 6 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 4 4 74 6 3 5 5 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 12 10 44 15 4 8 7 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 10 8 40 13 6 12 11 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 9 7 48 11 5 10 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 8 7 51 10 5 11 9
  4. (idiomatic, dated, US) To remove from a situation or crowd, such as for arrest or punishment. Tags: US, dated, idiomatic
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-HAzBaHTg Categories (other): American English
  5. To leave a gang.
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-w6l3ADYp
  6. (idiomatic, slang) To abandon, let down or betray (someone). Tags: idiomatic, slang
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-Awgikefj
  7. (idiomatic, slang, transitive) To win (someone) over; to get on (someone's) good side. Tags: idiomatic, slang, transitive
    Sense id: en-cop_out-en-verb-jkEx1UZj
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: weasel out Derived forms: cop-out [noun], copout [noun]

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 64 36 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "noun"
      ],
      "word": "cop-out"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 64 36 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "noun"
      ],
      "word": "copout"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested since 1942 as “flee, escape, cop (an) out”.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "cops out",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copping out",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copped out",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copped out",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "cop out (third-person singular simple present cops out, present participle copping out, simple past and past participle copped out)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Faced with the prospect of cooking for himself, his first thought was to cop out and order a pizza.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2000, Bill Oddie, Gripping Yarns, page 67:",
          "text": "There was no bird fair at Druridge so I didn't have to feel guilty about copping out of it.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-XMP9sEoE",
      "links": [
        [
          "avoid",
          "avoid"
        ],
        [
          "shirk",
          "shirk"
        ],
        [
          "insufficient",
          "insufficient"
        ],
        [
          "negligent",
          "negligent"
        ],
        [
          "superficial",
          "superficial"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "word": "laistaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "word": "se défiler"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "loufáro",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "word": "λουφάρω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "uvílivatʹ",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "уви́ливать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "uvilʹnútʹ",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "увильну́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "uklonjátʹsja",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "уклоня́ться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "uklonítʹsja",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "уклони́ться"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "87 4 3 1 0 3 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "otvertétʹsja",
          "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "отверте́ться"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To plead guilty and ask for mercy."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-ydlzkezs",
      "links": [
        [
          "plead",
          "plead"
        ],
        [
          "guilty",
          "guilty"
        ],
        [
          "mercy",
          "mercy"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 2 63 12 2 7 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 6 55 10 4 8 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English phrasal verbs formed with \"out\"",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 7 52 8 6 9 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "6 4 68 8 3 6 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "4 4 74 6 3 5 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 10 44 15 4 8 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 8 40 13 6 12 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with French translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 7 48 11 5 10 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 7 51 10 5 11 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "His lawyer copped him out on just one felony charge.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To blame; to assign blame to; to get into trouble."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-rf-wSntH",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, slang) To blame; to assign blame to; to get into trouble."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "American English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Somebody should have copped him out last night.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To remove from a situation or crowd, such as for arrest or punishment."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-HAzBaHTg",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, dated, US) To remove from a situation or crowd, such as for arrest or punishment."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "dated",
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I can't believe you copped out on us.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To leave a gang."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-w6l3ADYp"
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She thought I'd copped out on her.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To abandon, let down or betray (someone)."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-Awgikefj",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, slang) To abandon, let down or betray (someone)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "glosses": [
        "To win (someone) over; to get on (someone's) good side."
      ],
      "id": "en-cop_out-en-verb-jkEx1UZj",
      "links": [
        [
          "win",
          "win over"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, slang, transitive) To win (someone) over; to get on (someone's) good side."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "slang",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-cop out.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cc/En-au-cop_out.ogg/En-au-cop_out.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/En-au-cop_out.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 64 36 0 0 0",
      "word": "weasel out"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cop out"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English phrasal verbs",
    "English phrasal verbs formed with \"out\"",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "noun"
      ],
      "word": "cop-out"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "noun"
      ],
      "word": "copout"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Attested since 1942 as “flee, escape, cop (an) out”.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "cops out",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copping out",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copped out",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "copped out",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "*"
      },
      "expansion": "cop out (third-person singular simple present cops out, present participle copping out, simple past and past participle copped out)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Faced with the prospect of cooking for himself, his first thought was to cop out and order a pizza.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2000, Bill Oddie, Gripping Yarns, page 67:",
          "text": "There was no bird fair at Druridge so I didn't have to feel guilty about copping out of it.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "avoid",
          "avoid"
        ],
        [
          "shirk",
          "shirk"
        ],
        [
          "insufficient",
          "insufficient"
        ],
        [
          "negligent",
          "negligent"
        ],
        [
          "superficial",
          "superficial"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To plead guilty and ask for mercy."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "plead",
          "plead"
        ],
        [
          "guilty",
          "guilty"
        ],
        [
          "mercy",
          "mercy"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English slang",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "His lawyer copped him out on just one felony charge.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To blame; to assign blame to; to get into trouble."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, slang) To blame; to assign blame to; to get into trouble."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "American English",
        "English dated terms",
        "English idioms",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Somebody should have copped him out last night.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To remove from a situation or crowd, such as for arrest or punishment."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, dated, US) To remove from a situation or crowd, such as for arrest or punishment."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "US",
        "dated",
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "I can't believe you copped out on us.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To leave a gang."
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English slang",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She thought I'd copped out on her.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To abandon, let down or betray (someone)."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, slang) To abandon, let down or betray (someone)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English idioms",
        "English slang",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To win (someone) over; to get on (someone's) good side."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "win",
          "win over"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, slang, transitive) To win (someone) over; to get on (someone's) good side."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "slang",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "en-au-cop out.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/c/cc/En-au-cop_out.ogg/En-au-cop_out.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/En-au-cop_out.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "weasel out"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "word": "laistaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "word": "se défiler"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "loufáro",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "word": "λουφάρω"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "uvílivatʹ",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "уви́ливать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "uvilʹnútʹ",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "увильну́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "uklonjátʹsja",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "уклоня́ться"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "uklonítʹsja",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "уклони́ться"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "otvertétʹsja",
      "sense": "to avoid or shirk",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "отверте́ться"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cop out"
}

Download raw JSONL data for cop out meaning in English (5.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (d8cb2f3 and 4e554ae). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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