Obs. exc. dial. [f. COP sb.2 + HEAD.]
1. A high peaked head.
2. A crest of feathers or tuft of hair on the head of an animal (Halliwell); a crested head.
Cf. COPPLE, COPPLE-CROWN.
† 3. To play cop-head over: app. to turn head over heels. Obs.
1671. Blagrave, Astrol. Physick, 174. In her fits she would sometimes leap about with her arms and legs like a Frog, sometimes she would play cop-head over and over.
Hence Cop-headed, having a cop-head, or high tapering head.
1519. Horman, Vulg., 31/1. Homer sayth that he [Thersyte] was streyte in the shulders and copheedyd [vertice acuminato] lyke a gygge. Ibid., 31/2. A copheedyd felowe may haue wytte ynough, cilo satis potest sapere.
1881. Dickinson, Cumbrld. Gloss. (2nd Suppl.), Copt, Cop-heedit, [having] a peaked crown, as many polled cattle have.