Falconry. [app. a. F. coper, couper in its later sense ‘to cut.’ Cf. COPE v.2] trans. To cut, pare, the beak or talons of a hawk.

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1575.  Turberv., Falconrie, 78. Coping yrons to cope his hawkes beake if it be overgrowen, and to cope hir pownces and talons, if neede be.

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1614.  Markham, Cheap Husb., VIII. viii. (1668), 130. If you break or rive her pounce, or but coape it so short that she bleed … yet it will indanger her life.

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1619.  Bert, Treat. Hawkes, 67. Let her be short-coped, so I would advise all short-winged hawkes to be used.

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1674.  N. Cox, Gentl. Recreat., II. (1706), 77.

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1875.  ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Sports, 244. The beak and talons should be closely coped.

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