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Glite Dictionary
cop-call

cop-call

8.8
A phone call to the police to report a problem or ask for help
  • noun
  • /kɑp kɔl/
  • US
translation icon : llamada a la policía
  • When the neighbors heard loud noises at midnight, they made a quick cop-call to alert the authorities.

Examples

  • She made a cop-call to report the robbery.

  • After witnessing the accident, he immediately placed a cop-call to report it.

  • Her prompt cop-call helped the police catch the burglar before he escaped.

  • In urgent situations, a cop-call can make all the difference.

  • Did you receive a cop-call yesterday?

  • When they saw the suspicious man in the alley, they quickly made a cop-call to inform the police.

  • In case of an emergency, always remember that a cop-call can bring help right away.

Synonyms

phone call
vscop-call
∞ 1.0

A time when you talk to someone by telephone

is used only when the contact is to police for help or report
telephone call
vscop-call
57 1.0

A time when you speak with someone by phone

is limited to calls made to police for reporting or assistance
cop-calling
vscop-call
  • US
8.8

An act of asking the police to come and deal with a problem, often during an argument

is the specific event of making a call to police to report an incident

How Serious

distress call
  • Specialized
42 3.9
cop-call
  • US
8.8

Surface Forms

cop-call singular
cop-calls plural

Morphology

cop-call = cop + call (transparent) = cop + call

A direct, literal compound of 'cop' + 'call' and B1 learners who know both words can infer a telephone call to the police.

Etymology

Cop-call joins cop ('police') and call ('phone request'). Cop comes from an old word meaning 'to catch', like in capture, so a cop-call is literally a phone call to the people who catch criminals, used to report a problem or ask for help.