Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 5–6 copen, 6–9 cope, 7 dial. coop. [Of LG. origin; used by Lydgate as Flemish: cf. MDu. côpen, Du. koopen, LG. kôpen to buy, to trafic, buy and sell, exchange, barter; for the ulterior etymology, see CHEAP v., which is the native Eng. form. Cf. also COUP v. from Norse kaupa, the senses of which run parallel to those of cope, so that it is often treated as merely a northern dialect form of this verb.]
† 1. trans. To buy. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems, London Lyckpeny, vii. Flemynges began on me for to cry, ‘Master, what will you copen or by?’
1570. Levins, Manip., 170/1. To cope, cambire, emere.
1599. (title) Key to vnknowne knowledge. Or, A shop of fiue Windowes, Which if you doe open to cheapen and copen.
2. To exchange, barter. Cope away: to give away in exchange, to barter away. dial.
1570. [see 1].
1584. R. W., Three Ladies Lond., in Hazl., Dodsley, VI. 331. Have you any olde bootes Or any olde shoone … To cope with new broome?
1638. Heywood, Wise Woman, III. Wks. 1874, V. 314. If a man might change away his Wife … and cope her away like a bad commoditie.
1674. Ray, S. & E. C. Words, 62. Cope, to chop or exchange, used by the Coasters of Norfol. Suffol. &c. [ed. 1691 as also in Yorkshire].
1887. E. J. Mather, Nor’ard of Dogger, iii. 37. I’ve seen scores of nets coped away for brandy.
† 3. intr. To make an exchange, make a bargain.
1575. Fulke, Conf. Purg. (1577), 371. You say we might … haue coped for one of those Lyturgies, if we liked not Gregories Masse, rather then to haue forged a new.
1591. Spenser, M. Hubberd, 527. [The Patron] Will cope with thee in reasonable wise; That if the living yerely doo arise To fortie pound, that then his yongest sonne Shall twentie have, and twentie thou hast wonne.
1614. T. Gentleman, Eng. Way to Wealth, in Arb., Garner, IV. 345. And bringeth them Gold and fresh supplies, and copeth with them.
4. Derbyshire Mines. ‘To agree to get ore at a fixed sum per dish or measure.’
1802. J. Mawe, Min. Derbysh., Gloss.
