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coup

n. · v.
US //ˈku// UK //kˈuːp// coup
  1. 1 a sudden change of government (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a sudden, often violent, move by a group of people to take control of a country's government.

    a sudden, illegal seizure of power from a government, typically by a small group or the military.

    Example

    The military led a coup and took control of the capital overnight.

    Example

    Following months of civil unrest, the army staged a bloodless coup, ousting the president and suspending the constitution.

    Usage

    Often used with the verbs 'stage', 'lead', or 'plot'.
  2. 2 to overthrow a government (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Informal

    to take control of a country by force.

    to subject a nation or administration to a coup d'état.

    Example

    The rebels tried to coup the government but failed after two days.

    Example

    Political analysts debated whether the faction had the logistical support required to successfully coup the ruling regime.
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  1. 3 to tip or empty (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Dialect British English

    to tilt or empty something out, like a cart.

    to overturn, tilt, or empty out a container or vehicle.

    Example

    He couped the cart to get the dirt out.

    Example

    The worker couped the barrow, spilling the gravel across the driveway in a single motion.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is specific to Northern England and Scotland; most English speakers will use 'tip' or 'dump' instead.
Etymology 1

Reborrowed in modern times from modern French coup (“blow, strike”), from Old French coup, colp, from Late Latin colpus, from Latin colaphus. Doublet of cope and colpus. The same Old French word had been borrowed into Middle English as coupe, caupe (with different pronunciation).

Etymology 2

From Middle English coupen (“to buy; (figuratively) to pay for”), from Old Norse kaupa (“to buy, bargain, barter, exchange”).

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