Middle English Dictionary Entry
cop n.
Entry Info
| Forms | cop n. Also cop(p)e. cupe. Pl. coppes, coppis. |
| Etymology | OE cop, corresp. to OHG kopf, both from L cuppa cup. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Note that given the nearly identical appearance of 'c' and 't' in some hands, and their nearly identical meaing, errors of 'cop' for 'top' n.(1) and vice versa cannot be precluded.
1.
(a) The summit or peak (of a hill or mountain); also, the height of a mountain pass; (b) the top (of a tower), the ridge (of a house); (c) ~ of hevene, the top of the firmament [but cp. cope n., sense 5]; (d) in a ~ wise, so as to form a peak or tip, pyramidally.
Associated quotations
a
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 4.29 : Thei..ledde him to the cop [L supercilium] of the hil.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.393 : To þe cop [Higd.(2): toppe] of þe hille.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)152b/b : Ȝif a welle springeþ in þe coppe of an hille.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)164a/a : To espie for comyng of enemys, men goen ofte til þe coppis of þe toppes of þe hilles.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)165b/a : Moyses come vp anone to þe coppe of þat hille and bihelde..al þe londe of biheste.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)2 Kings 16.13 : Semei wente cursynge aȝens hym bi the cop [WB(2): slade; L iugum] of the hil.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Tob.11.5 : Anne sat bisidis the weie ech dai in the cop [WB(1): euese; L supercilio] of the hil.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)2.m.4.6 : The cop of the mountaigne.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)10/30 : Abouen at the cop of þat hill is the eyr so cleer.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)186 : At þe cop of þe hil.
- a1450 St.Kath.(3) (Richardson 44)62 : Thys Chapell was ordeyned..not ferre fro þe hyȝest cop of the hylle.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1166 : Thoo gan I up the hil to goon, And fond upon the cop a woon.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)4890 : Vp-on þe cop of þe cliffe a closure he fyndis.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)9289 : Hilles coppes that he ore-lepe.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7781 : Þa turres cop [Otho: toppe].
- c1230(?a1200) *Ancr.(Corp-C 402)61b : From þe tures cop [vr. coppe] in to þe deope dich.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.55 : He unheled chirches..coppes [L fastigia].
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)250b/b : Roof trees..ben y ioyned eyþer to oþer in þe coppe of þe house.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)298a/b : He crepeþ and clymbeþ vpon þe coppe of þe hous and þe walle.
- c1400 Wycl.CGosp.John (Yk-M 14.D.2:Hudson)75/56 : Þei procuriden hem to be set in þe cop of þe chirche, in whirlewyndis and oþere grete wyndis and tempestis.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)6047 : To karnels & to þe walle [t]hey ferde & to þe toures cop on hey.
- c1450(?c1425) St.Christina Mirab.(Dc 114)121/23 : Þe coppys of tourys or chirches.
- c1500(?a1475) Landavall (Rwl C.86)81 : A pauylione..Vpon the cupe an heron was..In his mouthe a carboncle bright.
c
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)106b/b : Þilke watres þat beþ I sette above þe coppe of heuene.
d
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)209a/b : In some [trees and plants] þe vttermest parties beþ schape in a coppe-wyse oþer in a prikwise and scharpe [L piramidales & acute].
2.
(a) The crown (of the head); also, the head; (b) the crest (of a bird); (c) the tip (of the nose).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 Lay.Brut (Otho C.13)684 : Bi þe coppe he him nam, also he hine wolde slean, and his nakede swerd leide on his necke.
- c1330 Why werre (Auch)60 : There shal Symonye ben taken bi the cop.
- a1400 Lanfranc (Ashm 1396)109/9 : Þese boonys ben in þe hiȝeste coppe of þe heed.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Jer.2.16 : To the cop of the heed [L ad verticem].
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)70b/a : Some ben in þe coppe [L summitate] of the hede and some in the sides.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)172a/b : [Cauteries] ben made..with an olyuare in þe coppe of þe hede.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.185 : The stature is boede downe in age, the coppe [Trev.: nolle; L cervix] is depressede.
b
- a1450 Eagle Magic in Tul.SE 22 (Add 34111)23/30-31 : For ache and for sorenes þat falleþ to þe cop of the heued Take þe mouþe of þe cop of þe heued of þe egle [Ld: os verticis capitis aquilæ] and bere it in a purse y-made of hertes leþer and y-leyd þer-vpon makeþ hope þe cope of þe heued.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)28a : A Cope: Cirrus, Crista est auium.
c
- (c1387-95) Chaucer CT.Prol.(Manly-Rickert)A.554 : Vpon the cop right of his nose he hade A werte.
- ?c1425 *Chauliac(2) (Paris angl.25)31a/b : Herisipila..bygynneþ in þe coppe of þe nose [L in lepore nasi].
3.
(a) The top (of a tree or plant); (b) the top (of a mast, a ladder); (c) the tip or point (of a helmet); (d) the uppermost part (of sth.); the rim (of a pit).
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)185 : A gret treo, So heiȝ þat he was a-drad toward þe coppe i-seo.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.81 : In Ynde beeþ trees þat haueþ coppis [L cacumen] as hiȝe as me schal schete wiþ an arwe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)137a/b : In coppis of herbis and of gras dewe gadreþ itsilf in droppis.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)208b/a : Þe schaft of þe tree þat streccheþ fro þe roote vp to þe coppe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)249a/b : Þe eere is in þe coppe of þe stalke.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)292a/a : He crepeþ..vp to þe coppes of trees.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)118 : Take þreo gret oynenons, and kerue out þe koppes [vrr. colkes, corkes] aboue.
- c1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Tbr A.7)19526 : Off the tre..And off the nestis in the coppe.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)14774 : Saxes i scipe leopen & droȝen up to coppe [Otho: toppe] hæȝe heore seiles.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)30607 : Wind heom com on wille; heo wunden up seiles to coppe, scipen gunnen liðen.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Gen.28.12 : He seiȝe in sleep a laddir stondynge on the erthe, and the cop [L cacumen] ther of touchinge heuene.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)14a/a : Cherucus: cop of mast or veyle.
c
- a1500 Treat.GBattle (Hrl 1706)425 : A basnet ys hyghest off alle armoure, goyng and gaderyng vpwarde in to a lytylle coppe.
d
- a1400 Trin-C O.9.39 Recipes (Trin-C O.9.39) 52/20 : Ȝif þu make to grete fire þervndre, þy vermyloun wole aryse to sone into the coppe of þy pot.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.44.1 : Fille the sackis..with whete..and ley the money of eche in the cop [L in summitate] of her sak.
- (1436) Deed Norris in LCRS 93105 : The coppe of the dyches and the pyttes.
4.
Fig. Summit (of spiritual or ecclesiastical life).
Associated quotations
- (1440) *Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)3839 : If þat ȝe folow þe steppis of his holy lif, Ȝe schul come sumtyme to þat blessed cope That..may fortz drif All debate and desese.
- c1450 Wimbledon Serm.(Hat 57)26/19 : Whanne þu seest þat ben put on þe hi cop of spirytual dignyte, þat schuldyn ben os hillys a boue þe comynte of peple in perfyt lyuynge.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: Med., etc., see further J.Norri, Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary, s.v. cop.