this phrase caught my fancy - cop a squat. Though I understood the meaning of the word 'cop' from the context, I wanted to know what exactly the word meant. The search opened up a wealth of meanings with 'cop' used in different ways.
Cop means: a) A failure to fulfill a commitment or responsibility or to face a difficulty squarely; b) A person who fails to fulfill a commitment or responsibility; and c) An excuse for inaction or evasion, along with avoid, shirk, skip, dodge, sidestep, skirt round, bypass, steer clear of, evade, escape, run away from, shrink from, slide out of, back out of, pull out of, turn one's back on...
But,
There are also other ways in which cop is used:
Cop a squat means to have a seat, sit down and relax.
In 'cop a look at this' or 'cop one of these' cop means to take.
He'll cop it means he'll be caught or he'll be blamed.
To cop a plea is to plead guilty to a lesser offence to not be tried for a graver charge.
Cop-on is used to mean Irish shrewdness or practical intelligence.
Cop it would mean get into trouble or be killed.
In 'She copped an award for her role in the film,' copped means receive or attain something that is welcome.
Fascinating, wouldn't you say?
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