Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Verb Phrase 168. The verb phrase today is to
cop out. Okay, We got three meanings of cop out today. So ... we're going to
give examples of them all here. So let's look at the first one.
If someone cops out, he or she is trying to avoid doing something, often in a
sneaky way by giving a poor excuse or a lame excuse.
Sometimes due to cowardice, laziness etc. Okay. So here's the first example
we might use for this definition. Don't try to cop out. You know this is your
responsibility to do that. All right. That's number one or the
second one here for this one. I don't believe his excuse. He is just
trying to cop out because he is too lazy. All right. We might say that. All right.
Here's the second one. We say cop out. To break a promise or commitment. Like if
you promise somebody to do something and then you try to take it back. So we might
say you, you cop out on a promise or commitment to someone. All right. So let's
look at the first example here. Don't cop out on me. I know your ex-boyfriend will
be at the wedding , but you promised to be my maid of honor. Yeah. Maid of honor that's
very important just like best man. So especially if it's you know, at the last
minute. Maybe this girl she doesn't want to go because she found out her ex
boyfriends coming to this wedding. She doesn't want to be there with him, but she
had promised this other girl to be her maid of honor.
But now she's trying to find a reason or some excuse to cop out. To get out of it.
Okay. All right. That one could be for cowardice actually. All right. Let's
continue. Here's the second one . I know you hate babysitting,
but you promised you would watch my kids for a few hours while I do this. And I'm
assuming this is very important. Don't cop out on me now.
I need your help. So again somebody promised to do something or made a
commitment and now they're trying to get out of it. All right , And the third one here. If
someone cops out , he or she pleads guilty to a lesser charge in order to
avoid a more serious punishment. This is used in the same sense as to cop a plea
or cop a plea bargain. We hear this all the time. Somebody, maybe the police
threatened and that they may get a very serious punishment but if they you know,
if they rat on other people or tell on other people to get help them convict
those people, maybe they'll give them a much less serious punishment or a
sentence , a much less serious sentence. Okay. So let's continue here. Okay. So he, he
decided to cop out and accept a lower charge rather than risk a lengthy prison
sentence. Okay. Again very similar to the idea of cop a plea. Let's continue. We
have another little note here. This use is derived from an old use cop. To cop
something, meaning to seize or to take. Okay. This can be seen in other phrases
such as cop ... So we sometimes say somebody could cop an attitude you know, you
always wonder what ? Why cop an attitude ? What they mean is to take or seize an attitude.
Cop a plea. You know, take or seize a plea or a plea bargain. Cop a squat you
know, like they squat down like the way that catcher sits in baseball. That's a
squat. So now we know why. Okay. Anyway, I hope you got it. I hope you found it
informative. Thank you for your time. Bye- bye.