coping stone
- noun
- /ˈkoʊpɪŋ stoʊn/
- Specialized
- The old wall looked beautiful with the new coping stones placed neatly on top to protect it from the rain.
Examples
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The coping stone protects the wall from rain.
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The mason expertly placed each coping stone along the length of the garden wall.
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A missing coping stone can allow water to seep into the wall, causing long-term damage.
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After years of weathering, several coping stones needed to be replaced on the old bridge.
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They installed new coping stones around the garden wall.
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To finish the garden wall, the builder added coping stones to give it a decorative appearance.
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The craftsmen installed several coping stones to ensure the top of the wall would withstand harsh weather conditions.
Synonyms
A top stone or brick layer on a wall that protects it from rain
A stone placed on the top of a wall or building to finish and protect it
A stone on top of a wall that protects and finishes it
A stone or brick placed on top of a wall to protect it
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is compositionally built: 'coping' (a cap on a wall) + 'stone' (building material) yields a stone that functions as the wall cap. This is a straightforward compound following common cross-linguistic noun+material patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun coping stone is a simple name: a coping or top stone that sits on a wall to keep out rain and to give the wall a neat, 'finished' look. That's why it means the top stone that protects and finishes a wall.