Cope

The internet has generated a new usage for the word cope. As a noun, a cope is a specific notion, idea, or claim that is used as a way to avoid confronting an unpleasant truth. This is better known as a psychological defense mechanism but cope has many advantages. First, it's a single syllable. Second, it has this nice dismissive quality which is really useful when telling somebody off online. Third, it has good meme image support.

In the meme version of the universe copes are made from copium. This is a drug that acts to dull the pain of its users sad existence in the fashion of opium. Copium is just as addicting but way cheaper, legal, and only ravages the soul while leaving the body intact. It's typically displayed as a gas tank feeding into an oxygen mask attached to Pepe or Wojak. It comes in many fun flavors like election denial, headcanon, and sigma male to support every kind of dysfunction.

As a term cope and its derivatives is mostly used to dismiss other peoples arguments. It's worth noting that a cope doesn't even have to be literally wrong or false in point of fact. It's enough for it to be motivated by the coper's need to dissociate from some uncomfortable reality. As such it's actually the dismissal of the person as much as what they are saying. Obviously, this is among the more toxic of rhetorical techniques. Unfortunately, there are so many really blatant copes that would require whole essays to untangle in a good faith fashion that it's almost impossible not to use this some of the time. That doesn't make it less toxic it just makes the internet the internet.

IRON NODER XVI: MORE STUBBORN-HARD THAN HAMMER'D IRON

Cope (?), n. [A doublet of cape. See Cape, Cap.]

1.

A covering for the head.

Johnson.

2.

Anything regarded as extended over the head, as the arch or concave of the sky, the roof of a house, the arch over a door.

Milton.

3.

An ecclesiastical vestment or cloak, semicircular in form, reaching from the shoulders nearly to the feet, and open in front except at the top, whereit is united by a band or clasp. It is worn in processions and on some other occasions.

Piers plowman.

A hundred and sixty priests all in their copes. Bp. Burnet.

4.

An ancient tribute due to the lord of the soil, out of the lead mines in derbyshire, England.

5. Founding

The top part of a flask or mold; the outer part of a loam mold.

Knight. De Colange.

© Webster 1913.

Cope, v. i.

To form a cope or arch; to bend or arch; to bow.

Some bending down and coping to ward the earth. Holland.

© Webster 1913.

Cope, v. t. Falconry

To pare the beak or talons of (a hawk).

J. H. Walsh.

© Webster 1913.

Cope, v. i. [imp. & p.p. Coped (?); p.pr. & vb.n. Coping.] [OE. copen, coupen, to buy, bargain, prob. from D. koopen to buy, orig., to bargain. See Chear.]

1.

To exchange or barter.

Spenser.

2.

To encounter; to meet; to have to do with.

Horatio, thou art e'en as just a man As e'er my conversation coped withal. Shak.

3.

To enter into or maintain a hostile contest; to struggle; to combat; especially, to strive or contend on equal terms or with success; to match; to equal; -- usually followed by with.

Host coped with host, dire was the din of war. Philips.

Their generals have not been able to cope with the troops of Athens. Addison.

© Webster 1913.

Cope, v. t.

1.

To bargain for; to buy.

2.

To make return for; to requite; to repay.

three thousand ducats due unto the Jew, We freely cope your courteous pains withal. Shak.

3.

To match one's self against; to meet; to encounter.

I love to cope him in these sullen fits. Shak.

They say he yesterday coped Hector in the battle, and struck him down. Shak.

© Webster 1913.