Donate SIGN UP

This aint much cop

Avatar Image
Zhukov | 01:04 Mon 23rd Jan 2012 | Phrases & Sayings
9 Answers
This was a line in a TV Drama,set in WW1.It is still used widely today!

What is "much cop",or "cop"?
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 9 of 9rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by Zhukov. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
: "Not much cop" - does the origin come from not a good cop (ie police officer) or not much copulation coming from obviously a sexual term?

Neither. 'Cop' is a slang term meaning catch or acquisition. 'Not much cop' applies to things that aren't much of a prize. That meaning of cop may also be the derivation of the slang term for police officer.
Lynne is essentially right but, more specifically, to "cop" something is to take it, especially when you shouldn't, as in "cop a feel".

So "not much cop" is something you've taken when you really shouldn't but which has turned out to be a disappointment...
Question Author
Thank you mamyalynne.So you would guess it being a snappy word,between thieves,like,loot and swag!
I am copping on to the fact that it is quite nice to be essentially right. Mind you it is years since I copped off.
Question Author
Originating from^
"They brought the loot in and put it on the table, and while they were drinking I copped the lot and scarpered..."
Question Author
Thank you MarkRae
"We are going to a place called Spion Kop and I don't think it will be much of a 'kop' for our chaps."
As regards origin, the above is taken from a letter written during the Boer War (1902) and it is the earliest recorded version of the phrase 'much cop', according to the OED. By putting inverted commas around kop, the writer was obviously making a point about the cop/kop pun, the first meaning a gain/acquisition and the second meaning a hill.
Question Author
Thanks,Quizmonster..the hills themselves were accorded a snappy nickname..in Afrikaans..kop means head..so a hill that looked like it had a "human head"..kopjie..small hill with head!

1 to 9 of 9rss feed

Do you know the answer?

This aint much cop

Answer Question >>

Related Questions

Sorry, we can't find any related questions. Try using the search bar at the top of the page to search for some keywords, or choose a topic and submit your own question.