cop out

See also: copout and cop-out

English

Etymology

Probably from cop a plea.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU):

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Verb

cop out (third-person singular simple present cops out, present participle copping out, simple past and past participle copped out)

1. (idiomatic) To avoid or shirk, either by failing to perform, or by performing in a grossly insufficient, negligent, or superficial manner.

   Faced with the prospect of cooking for himself, his first thought was to cop out and order a pizza.

2. To plead guilty and ask for mercy.

Related terms

• cop-out

Synonyms

• weasel out

Translations

to avoid or shirk

• Finnish: laistaa (fi)
• French: se défiler (fr)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: λουφάρω (el) (loufáro)
• Russian: уви́ливать (ru) impf (uvílivatʹ), увильну́ть (ru) pf (uvilʹnútʹ), уклоня́ться (ru) impf (uklonjátʹsja), уклони́ться (ru) pf (uklonítʹsja), отверте́ться (ru) pf (otvertétʹsja)