Words / B2

KOP/kɒp/

A cop is a police officer (informal); cop out means to avoid a duty: a traffic cop; cop out of. Officer and constable are the formal British twins; copper is a related informal twin (also the metal). A cop in the transcript is still a police officer; name the force. Mix-up: cop vs coppice; copy; do not write cop for a TV series title with no force named.

Meaning

A police officer (informal); cop out means to avoid a duty.

Examples

• “A cop in the transcript is still a police officer; name the force, not a TV series.”
• “Ministers copped out of the vote, the sketch said, which is the avoid-duty sense — still name the division.”

Good to know

a traffic cop; cop out (of). Formal: police officer / constable. Related informal: copper. Trap: copy. Citizenship and media. Informal police officer, or to avoid a duty — specify; still name the force.

Near in meaning

officer, constable, police

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