cop a plea
Idioms-
Plead guilty or confess to a crime in exchange for a lighter sentence; also, plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for not being tried for a more serious charge. For example, Arnold decided he was better off copping a plea than facing a jury . [ Colloquial ; 1920s]
-
Plead for mercy; make excuses. For example, He copped a plea about not knowing his way around . [ Slang ; c. 1940]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Recondite, lips zipped tight — ’cause of you, Vance can’t jail me Awesome to see you not cop a plea, turn on me like Cohen.
From Washington Post • Jul. 7, 2021
A young guy was quickly arrested, and will presumably go to trial or cop a plea.
From New York Times • Mar. 19, 2018
Rather than risk a trial and a 30-year sentence, some cop a plea and accept a much shorter one.
From Economist • Oct. 2, 2014
According to the New York Daily News, Rodriguez recently met with MLB officials in New York City, and the evidence against him was so overwhelming, he’s looking to cop a plea deal.
From Time • Jul. 16, 2013
I could see that Clean was getting off with everybody standing around trying to cop a plea for Monkeyman.
From "145th Street: Short Stories" by Walter Dean Myers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
