n., adj., & v.
—n.
1 Chem. a malleable red-brown metallic element of the transition series occurring naturally esp. in cuprite and malachite, and used esp. for electrical cables and apparatus.
Usage:
Symb.: Cu.
2 a bronze coin.
3 a large metal vessel for boiling esp. laundry.
4 any of various butterflies with copper-coloured wings.
—adj. made of or coloured like copper.
—v.tr. cover (a ship's bottom, a pan, etc.) with copper.
Phrases and idioms:
copper beech a variety of beech with copper-coloured leaves. copper belt a copper-mining area of Central Africa. copper-bit a soldering tool pointed with copper. copper-bottomed
1 having a bottom sheathed with copper (esp. of a ship or pan).
2 genuine or reliable (esp. financially). copper pyrites a double sulphide of copper and iron: also called CHALCOPYRITE. copper sulphate a blue crystalline solid used in electroplating, textile dyeing, etc. copper vitriol copper sulphate.
Etymology: OE copor, coper, ult. f. L cyprium aes Cyprus metal
2.
n. Brit. sl. a policeman.
Etymology: COP(1) + ER(1)
Useful english dictionary. 2012.