Word
cop
Meanings
a police officer (informal)
to take or grab something (informal), often quickly or casually
to receive or attract something unpleasant, such as criticism or blame (informal)
Definition
A cop is a police officer.
A cop is an informal word for a police officer. It is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially in American English, and can sound casual or slightly blunt depending on context. It refers to someone whose job is to enforce laws and maintain public order.
Examples
- The cop asked for my ID and then explained why the street was blocked.
- A cop on a bicycle gave you clear directions when you got lost downtown.
- He panicked when he saw a cop, even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.
- She copped a lot of criticism for the rushed presentation, but she handled it calmly.
- They copped the last seats on the train by slipping through the crowd at the right moment.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use “cop” in very formal writing, but it is informal and “police officer” is usually better in formal contexts.
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