Date:  Mon, 17 Nov 1997 20:54:54 -0500
From:  Jim Crotty <Monkmag[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: stay and live

In a message dated 11/15/97 2:54:12 PM, you wrote:

<<  On 'cop': I always heard it came from "civilian on patrol" (Brit.,
  something like a neighborhood crime watch?). Is this completely
  apocryphal? To assume 'cop' comes from 'catch' seems farfetched; but I
  suppose we should check our Old and Middle English dictionaries. On
  "cop a plea": As I recall, Roger Abrahams traced this in the 70s to
  Black English street plea-bargaining, but I haven't got my citation
  handy.>>

Whether apocryphal or not I do like "civilian on patrol." Gives me a much
warmer feeling about coppers.