cops

cops · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    (informal) Police officers; members of a police force.

  2. 2.

    (slang) Any authority figures who enforce rules or regulations.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    call the cops — to telephone the police for assistance
  • •
    cops and robbers — a children's game where players pretend to be police and criminals
  • •
    good cop, bad cop — an interrogation technique using contrasting approaches

Related words

Antonyms: criminals, lawbreakers
See also: detective, officer, police, sheriff
Synonyms: constables, officers, police, police officers

Etymology

From English cop, a shortened form of copper, slang for a police officer since the mid-19th century. The origin is disputed but may derive from the verb "to cop" meaning "to catch or capture" (from Latin capere "to seize") or from the copper buttons on early police uniforms.