# cop

/ˈkɑp/ (US) · /kˈɒp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cop
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. police officer

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

an informal word for a police officer.

For teachers: an informal term for a police officer or, less commonly, a prison guard.

- The driver slowed down as soon as he saw a cop parked by the side of the road.
- The veteran cop had patrolled these streets for twenty years and knew every shopkeeper by name.

### 3. to get or buy

verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to get, buy, or find something, especially something that is hard to find.

For teachers: to obtain or purchase an item; frequently used in the context of limited-edition goods or illicit substances.

- He managed to cop a pair of the new sneakers before they sold out online.
- Collectors queued for hours outside the boutique, hoping to cop the limited-edition vinyl release before stocks were exhausted.

### 4. to receive blame

verb · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal

to receive or take something unpleasant, like blame or a punishment.

For teachers: to receive or be forced to shoulder something, typically blame, criticism, or a legal penalty.

- The manager had to cop the blame when the project failed to meet its deadline.
- The junior clerk was left to cop the flak for the accounting error, despite having followed his supervisor's explicit instructions.

### 5. to admit to something

verb · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

to admit that you did something wrong or committed a crime.

For teachers: to confess or admit to a wrongdoing; often used in the phrase 'cop to'.

- He finally decided to cop to the mistake instead of letting his friend take the fall.
- After hours of questioning, the suspect finally copped to his involvement in the robbery, leading the detectives to the hidden evidence.

## Examples

- The cop stopped the car for speeding.
- A local cop gave us directions to the train station after we got lost downtown.
- While the official report referred to them as law enforcement officers, the neighborhood residents simply knew them as the local cops who patrolled the park.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.