Obs. [Either f. COPE v.2, or immediately a. F. coup, OF. also colp, cop, blow, stroke, shock, etc.] The shock of combat; encounter. Also fig.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. clxviii. [clxiv.] 469. They ran togyder and met so rudely yt their horses stayed with yt cope. Ibid., 475. The seconde cope they attaynted eche other on the helmes that the fyre flewe oute.
1594. 2nd Rep. Dr. Faustus, in Thoms, Prose Rom. (1858), III. 408. In the cope all the four Janisares were run quite thorow and thorow.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, Prol. Books … in the cope and encounter somewhat difficult. Ibid. (1859), I. 181. He fought at barriers … and when it came to the cope, he stood so sturdily on his feet.
1773. J. Ross, Fratricide, IV. 310 (MS.). Bent on the signal cope and steel’d with guilt.
† b. To gain cope of: to gain the advantage over.
c. 1610. T. Adams, Wks. (1861), I. 350 (D.). We should gain cope of them, and outrun them.
