👮 A police officer 🕵️ To steal 😠 To receive blame 🚓 To catch

to cop

8 7.0

Catch and arrest someone, usually by the police

verb
/kɑp/

Informal

: detener

If we get them after the exchange, they're gonna cop possession without intent.

Examples

He decided to cop a plea in order to reduce his sentence.
You cop selling to an officer, you cop assaulting an officer... but now you won't cop to fucking killing one.

Narc (2002)
Tell your client she has until the prelim to cop a plea for murder two—fifteen to twenty-five.

Fiction book (1993)
After much consideration, she chose to cop a plea and take responsibility for her actions.
The lawyer advised his client to cop a plea before the trial started.

Synonyms

to arrest

vsto cop

∞ 3.4

To detain someone and take them to the police station

is the informal term for that legal taking into custody

to bust

vsto cop

Informal

320 6.1

To enter a place suddenly to arrest people

is the informal taking into custody without the raid or sudden force

to pick up

vsto cop

Informal

125 3.9

To take someone to the police because they are suspected of a crime

is informal but used in wider contexts and not only casual speech

Antonyms

to release

∞ 1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

to let go

∞ 1.4

To stop holding something or someone so they are free

Idioms

to cop one's whack

Australian

9.9

To get your fair share of money or a reward

Phrasal Verbs

to cop out

Informal

5 7.8

Avoid a task you should do by making an excuse

to cop a feel

Offensive

4 9.9

To touch someone in a sexual way without their permission

to cop oneself on

Irish

9.9

To realize you made a mistake and begin to act more sensibly

to cop on

9.9

Begin to understand something you missed before

to cop yourself on

Irish

9.9

Start behaving more responsibly

Compounds

rent-a-cop

Offensive

9 8.9

A private security guard many people think has little authority or skill

traffic cop

6 2.4

A police officer who directs cars and people at busy intersections

motorcycle cop

Informal

3 3.4

A police officer who rides a motorcycle and enforces traffic laws

contempt of cop

Slang

1 9.9

Rude or defiant actions toward a police officer that can cause arrest

speed cop

1 4.2

A police officer who patrols roads to catch drivers going too fast

cop-calling

8.8

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

cop-call

8.8

A phone call to the police to report a problem or ask for help

kotong cop

Offensive

9.9

A police officer who asks for or takes bribes

grammar cop

Informal

7.3

A person who often corrects other people's grammar in a strict way

How Forceful

arrest

∞ 2.7

to nab

Informal

40 5.8

to cop

Informal

8 7.0

to catch

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

cop infinitive

copped past

copped past participle

copping present participle

cops third person singular

Etymology

Cop meaning 'to catch' or 'arrest' comes from the old root meaning 'to take', again like capture, so to 'cop' a suspect is to 'take' them into custody. This links the verb directly to the idea of catching or holding someone.