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Glite Dictionary
cop-calling

cop-calling

8.8
An act of asking the police to come and deal with a problem, often during an argument
  • noun
  • /kɑp ˈkɔlɪŋ/
  • US
translation icon : llamada a la policía
  • The constant cop-calling by neighbors frustrated the party hosts.

Examples

  • Some people view cop-calling as an overreaction in minor disputes.

  • His cop-calling was seen as excessive by the community.

  • After the argument got heated, she resorted to cop-calling to resolve the situation.

  • There has been growing debate about the implications of cop-calling in certain communities.

  • During the argument, she decided that cop-calling was the only way to ensure everyone's safety.

  • After consulting with her friends, she realized that cop-calling was necessary to address the escalating conflict.

  • In the neighborhood, frequent cop-calling has become a contentious topic among residents.

Synonyms

cop-call
vscop-calling
  • US
8.8

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

focuses on the act of contacting police mainly to obtain their intervention

How Serious

to call 911
  • US
178 1.6
cop-calling
  • US
8.8
to report
686 1.6

Surface Forms

cop-calling singular
cop-callings plural

Morphology

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

The meaning is directly the act of calling the police; components 'cop' + 'calling' transparently yield the sense.

Etymology

The word cop-calling joins cop, a common word for 'police', and calling, which means 'phoning or asking for help'. A helpful way to remember it is to imagine someone 'calling the police' to get officers to step in, which is why cop-calling means asking the police to intervene.