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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cop, n. Also: coppe. [Northern ME. cop (rare), ONhb. copp, ON. koppr, MLG. and MDu. cop(p), med.L. coppa. Cf. Cap n.², Cope, Coup, Cupe.]

1. A drinking-vessel; a cup or bowl. a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 598.
With that the cop in hand tuk he Ib. 601. 14.. Acts I. 44/2.
The ayre … sall hafe … a masar, a dubblar, a cop 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 44.
A couir to the Qwenis cop a1500 Rauf C. 212.
Lat the cop raik for my bennysoun 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 85.
A cop with a couir ouregilt and punchit 1490 Ib. 132.
For … dublaris and coppis to xviij pure men a1500 Bk. Chess 725.
Thai saw fra tyme this lord was set That dische, dublare, and cop war all of tre c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 148.
Thai … raucht the cop round about full off riche wynis Ib. 510. Ib. xxvi. 95.
Him followit mony fowll drunckart, With can and collep, cop and quart 1513 Doug. v. v. 44.
Twa syluer coppis shapyn lyke a boyt 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9462.
Hir countenance to keip [scho] bad fill the cop 1581 Sat. P. xliv. 237.
He can not hallou Except it be his cop to sup and suallou 1592 Edinb. Test. XXIV. 213.
My blak cop with siluer about the mouth a1651 Calderwood VII. 165.
They killed him in ane innes, whill he was putting the coppe to his heade

b. To play cop out, to drink the cup empty, to carouse. Also allusively cop-out complene. c1500-c1512 Dunb. vi. 102.
I will nane haif bot our avne gyng, … Drynkand and playand cop out evin Ib. lvi. 13.
It is no glaid collatioun, Quhair … Ane thistis, ane vther playis cop out 1513 Doug. i. xi. 92.
Syne al the nobillis tharof drank abowt: I wil nocht say that ilkman playt cop owt 1535 Stewart 39550.
Tha eit and drank bayth of the aill and wyne, … At euirilk draucht tha playit ay cop out 1540 Lynd. Sat. 535 (B).
He and I sall play cop owt a1540 Freiris Berw. 414.
Thay drank evin round abowt Of Gascone wyne: the freiris playit cop owt 1583 Semple Sat. P. xlv. 113.
To copowt complene there he calld thame

2. The bowl used by a leper for collecting alms in. 1436 Ayr B. Ct. MS.
Thai … ordanit that thir women … that ar myselencis wifis acht to cum to the markat with cop and clapar that thai may be kennyt by 1450 Ib. 13 April.
That na leper men na woman entercomoun but a cop to a takinn a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 343.
This sall thow go begging fra hous to hous, With cop and clapper lyke ane lazarous Ib. 492.
Thay gaif ane cry, and schuik coppis gude speid 1544 Ayr B. Ct. 19 Oct.
The inqueist ordanit that na wyf na man suld cum to the mercat without cop or clapper entercommand with the sek men 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9733.
Alexander … steppit furth … With cop and clapper vnto the Empreours land

3. A bowl used as a measure for liquor or grain.In quot. 1508 used to designate a certain area of land rated on this basis. 1508 Orkney Rentals i. 80.
Ilk vj m[erk] coppis or ilk vj uris coppis in all this said bordland … payis na scat 1551 Elgin Rec. I. iii.
That na persoun sell ayill bot with ane selit quart … and that nayne be sauld with coggis, pigis or coppis 1636 Peebles Gleanings 167.
Two copfullis of the schilling cop to the miller, and ane fourth pairt of the quheit cop to James Halden 1674 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 363 (implied in Copfull n.).