1 C1 idiomatic slang
(British slang) To leave work, school, or a duty early or without permission; to shirk.
"He copped off early on Friday afternoon to beat the traffic."
inseparable
cop off
C1 slang inseparable intransitive
Chiefly British informal: to avoid work or leave early without permission; also used to mean having a sexual or romantic encounter (see 'cop off with').
In plain English
To sneak away from work early, or to get lucky romantically.
What does "cop off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic slang
(British slang) To have a romantic or sexual encounter with someone (short form of 'cop off with').
"Did you hear he copped off at the party last night?"
inseparable
Usage tip
British slang. The 'avoid work' sense is similar to 'skive off.' The romantic/sexual sense is usually completed with 'with' (see 'cop off with'). Without 'with', the phrase more commonly means slipping away or avoiding duty. Rarely heard outside British English.
Words that pair with "cop off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
work school early duty
How to conjugate "cop off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cop off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cops off
he/she/it
Past simple
coped off
yesterday
Past participle
coped off
have + pp
-ing form
coping off
continuous
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