# Random dialect poll because I'm bored **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 16, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505 "2004-02-16T17:01:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alias\_Juno\_Twee\_Celt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a4c791/32.png) [@Alias\_Juno\_Twee\_Celt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias_Juno_Twee_Celt)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/1 "2004-02-16T17:01:13Z")
What does the phrase ‘to cop (or kop, copp, etc) off’ mean to you? It seems to have all sorts of different meanings all over Britain. And I’m curious to see if it’s crossed the Atlantic at all. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/2 "2004-02-16T17:04:57Z")
Here in the sunny south (lol)…‘Cop off’ = a serious snog, but nothing more. Probably with somebody you’ve been after (or who’s been after you) rather than with a near-stranger. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/3 "2004-02-16T17:09:59Z")
I’m here in merry old New England, USA, and I haven’t heard “cop off”. To “cop a feel” is to feel someone up or fondle them, usually with uncertainty as to their complete consent. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/4 "2004-02-16T17:12:47Z")
I’m from the home counties, and I actually rarely heard the phrase until I met people from the north of England, and Wales. We said “to get off with” someone. But yeah, it’s the same thing - snog, grope, not necessarily a shag. ---
**Author:** ![Sionach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Sionach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sionach)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/5 "2004-02-16T17:13:11Z")
20-some years growing up in SoCal, 4 years in Seattle, 6 months in New Hampshire . . . I’ve never even heard the phrase “cop off” used. :o To “cop out” (make a transparent excuse) or “cop a feel” yes, but never cop off. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/6 "2004-02-16T20:46:49Z")
Never heard of that phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/7 "2004-02-16T22:34:36Z")
I’m with **Sionach**. I’ve heard cop a feel and cop out but not cop off. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/8 "2004-02-16T22:38:16Z")
USA (Massachusetts) – “cop a feel” = to “feel someone up” (fondle someone), “cop a plea” = to plea bargain (reduce your sentence by pleading guilty) ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/9 "2004-02-16T22:52:12Z")
Around here (Central Indiana in Middle US) cop, or sometimes cob, means to steal or borrow something. “Can I cop a cigarette off you?” “The clerk was busy with the lotto machine, so I copped a bag of chips while she wasn’t looking.” “Cop a feel” is “grope someone’s lovely bits” here, as well. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/10 "2004-02-17T16:10:59Z")
Here, “cop off” it means to get off with (snog) someone. I’m from Yorkshire. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/11 "2004-02-17T16:12:51Z")
I should add, no one I know actually uses that phrase. (But I still know what it means) ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/12 "2004-02-17T16:16:53Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > I’m with **Sionach**. I’ve heard cop a feel and cop out but not cop off. ditto. 7890 ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/13 "2004-02-17T17:26:46Z")
> [@AngelicGemma](#): > > Here, “cop off” it means to get off with (snog) someone. > > I’m from Yorkshire. Which means what…to make out? ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/random-dialect-poll-because-im-bored/229505/14 "2004-02-17T19:22:37Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Which means what…to make out? If my assumption of what “make out” means is correct, then yes.