cop-out

See also: cop out and copout

English

Alternative forms

• copout

Etymology

Deverbal from cop out.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

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Noun

cop-out (plural cop-outs)

1. (slang) Avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty; the action of copping out.

   His disappearance on the day of the audition was just a cop-out.

2. (slang) An excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty; a reason offered when someone cops out.

   It was a cop-out to say he couldn't sign the petition because he sprained his wrist.

3. (slang) A person who cops out.

   He's always a cop-out when there's hard work to be done.

   • 1989 August 12, Kate Rushin, “Is Better Than Hollywood Good Enough?”, in Gay Community News, volume 17, number 5, page 8:

     Even when they are talking one-on-one, we aren't allowed to see behind the posturing and emblematic language. The major exception to this is Da Mayor […] who is both scorned and respected, seen as both a cop-out and a hero.

Translations

avoidance or inadequate performance of a task or duty

• Dutch: het terugkrabbelen, het laten afweten, het zich onttrekken
• German: Rückzieher (de) m, Drückebergerei f, Verpisserei f
• Italian: furbata f

an excuse made in order to avoid performing a task or duty

• Dutch: smoes (nl)
• German: Ausflucht (de) f, Ausrede (de) f
• Italian: pretesto (it) m, scusa (it) f
• Russian: отгово́рка (ru) f (otgovórka)

a person who cops out

• Dutch: iemand die afhaakt
• German: Drückeberger (de) m
• Italian: scansafatiche (it) m, lavativo (it) m, fannullone (it) m, irresponsabile (it) m

Further reading

• “cop-out”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• “cop-out”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• "cop-out" in the Wordsmyth Dictionary-Thesaurus (Wordsmyth, 2002)