copy that

17 7.6

I have received and understand the message

idiom

Informal

: recibido

I mean, copy that, you know, maybe shoot a little higher.
We’re ready - copy that

Examples

Do you copy? - Copy that.
Then be at my motel at 10 A.M. Copy that.
-We'll shoot without him. - Copy that

Diminuendo (2018)
Do you copy that?

A.I. Rising (2018)
- Copy that!

Army of the Dead (2021)
- Copy that.

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2014)
Copy that.

The Terror Experiment (2010)
Copy that, Murphy.

Crossbreed (2019)
POLICE DISPATCH: Copy that, Unit 5.

Drive (2011)
Go ahead, Jason. - Copy that.

Synonyms

Roger that

vscopy that

Informal

81 8.0

A short phrase people say to show they understand a message

only indicates receipt and understanding rather than agreement

to ack

vscopy that

Jargon

1 9.9

To send a short message to show you received something

is used in speech to show a message was received and understood

Surface Forms

copy that main

Morphology

copy + that

The phrase uses 'copy' in a specialized communicative/register sense ('I copy' = 'I have received/understood') rather than the common noun sense 'a reproduction' given in the entry, so a B1 learner who only knows the basic word meanings may not infer the MWE meaning. There is a partial, predictable link because 'copy' can be used as a verb meaning to record/receive, and similar acknowledgement formulas exist cross-linguistically, but the usage is jargon-like and requires exposure, making it only partly transparent.

Etymology

Copy that comes from old radio talk. When a person heard a message clearly they would say copy to show they had written or 'copied' it down, and adding that showed they meant that exact message, so copy that means 'received and understood'.