Cope

Source : Wright, Joseph English Dialect Dictionary web : https://eddonline4-proj.uibk.ac.at/edd/main.html

COPE, sb.1 and v.1 nw.Dev.1 1. sb. The top of the bank in hedging. Cf. comb, sb.1, cop, sb.1 6. 2. v. To finish the top of the bank with loose earth after the sides are turfed.

COPE, v.2 and sb.2 Nhb. Dur. Cum. Yks. Not. Lei. e.An. Som. Slang. [kōp.]

1. v. Obsol. To exchange, barter. Cf. chop, v.2, coup, v.2 N.Cy.1 Nhb. Gent. Mag. (1794) 16, ed. Gomme. Dur.1 Cum. (J.S.O.) Yks., Nrf., Suf. Used by the coasters, Ray (1691). Nrf., Suf. (P.R.); Kennett Par. Antiq. (1695). e.An.1
2. To bid money for, bargain for. Not.1 Lei.1 Tech. term in horse-dealing, and used in other affairs. Are you going to cope for that horse?
3. sb. An exchange, bargain; a successful deal. Dur.1 Slang. His... high spirits ─ which were continually getting him into trouble, especially after a successful cope, Carew Autob. Gipsy (1891) iv. Hence (1) Cope-horse-dealer, (2) Coper, sb. a small dealer in horses; (3) Copesmate, sb. a companion, partner in business. (1) Not.1, Lei.1 (2) w.Yks.2 w.Som.1 Called also a au·s koa·pur, but the word is very commonly used also as an epithet for a low frequenter of fairs or markets, ready to deal in anything, but particularly in knackers. (3) n.Cy. Grose (1790). [I. To cope, cambire, Levins Manip. (1570). MDu. copen, ‘mercari, cauponari’ (Teuthonista). See Coff. 3. Maids, when they come to see the fair, Count not to make a cope for dearth of hay, Greene Friar Bacon (1590), ed. Dyce, 157 (DAV.).]

COPE, sb.3 Obs. Yks. Der. A tribute or duty (sixpence a load) paid to the king or lord of the manor out of the lead-mines. w.Yks.1 Der. Lot and cope they pay, Manlove Lead Mines (1653) 74; To dial drifts or take a cope, Furness Medicus (1836) 16; Coles (1677). [OFr. cope, une mesure de grain ou de sel (La Curne); Cop, cope, sorte de mesure, prisée, estimation (Roquefort).]

COPE, sb.4 e.An. [kōp.] A large quantity or great number. e.An.1, Nrf.1 [Fr. (Béarnais) cop, coop, quantité, gran coop, une grande quantité (Lespy).]

COPE, v.3 Yks. Glo. Suf. Also written coap w.Yks.4 In form coup e.Yks.1 [kōp, koəp.]

1. To come to blows with, fight. e.Yks.1 w.Yks. Thoresby Lett. (1703); w.Yks.3 Used sometimes in offering or accepting a challenge to wrestle, &c.; w.Yks.4 Glo. Baylis Illus. Dial. (1870).
2. To subdue, defeat, get the better of. Glo. Baylis Illus. Dial. (1870). Suf. She was very botty before she married, but now she's quite coped. I had a dispute with Bill, but I coped him (F.H.). [OFr. coper, colper, to strike, der. of colp (coup), a blow.]

COPE, v.4 Chs. Lin. e.An. Ken. Hmp. [kōp.] To muzzle, esp. to cope a ferret, to fasten up its mouth, gen. by sewing its lips together. See also Coop, sb.1 6. Chs.1 Chs.3, s.Chs.1, Lin.1 e.An.1 The use of this word is confined to warreners, who are said to ‘cope’ their ferrets, when they sew or tie up their mouths. Suf. (C.G.B.); To tie its mouth up with string in a particular manner, e.An. Dy. Times (1892). Ken.1 Ken.2 Hmp. Holloway. [Mayer Sptsmn's Direct. (1845) 117.] Hence Coped, ppl. adj. muzzled. Suf.1 A muzzled ferret is called a ‘coped cat’ [Your lips coap'd like a ferret, Dekker Match mee (1631) iv, ed. 1873, IV. 193 (N.E.D.).]

COPE, v.5 War. Wor. [kōp.] with in. Of a wall, &c.: to give way, fall in. Cf. cob(b, v.2 8, colt, v.3 War. (Hall.) s.Wor. The wall be 'mos' ready to cope in (H.K.).

COPE, see Coop, int.

COPE, v.4 Pem. Ken. To fasten up the mouth of a ferret; to sew up the mouth of a hop-pocket. Pem. (J.S.O.T.), Ken. (P.M.) Hence Coping-string, sb. a short string for sewing hop-pockets. Ken. (P.M.)

COPES, sb. pl. Dev. Inferior corn thrown out in threshing. Cf. copings. He keeps the copes for us and the good grain for the others, Reports Provinc. (1902).