Date: Sat, 15 Nov 1997 12:18:38 -0500

From: Gregory {Greg} Downing downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]IS2.NYU.EDU

Subject: Re: Cop



I've done a fair amount of research on the word "cop" for a book on

slang to be published by Merriam-Webster in 1998. "Cop" is a great

example of a slang word with multiple folk etymologies, many of which

are clearly apocryphal. If you are truly interested, I'll summarize

what I came up with; to make a long story short, the origin suggested by

the poem you cite is probably correct.



Tom Dalzell (slangman[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]pacbell.net)





Show us the "money," the full monty, etc. Don't cop out....



Greg Downing/NYU, at greg.downing[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]nyu.edu or downingg[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]is2.nyu.edu