Obs. [orig. copemate, f. COPE v.2 + MATE; the change to copesmate was prob. through association with copesman, or with other words in which the first element is a sb. in the genitive, as craftsman, tradesman, etc.]
1. A person with whom one copes or contends; an adversary, antagonist.
α. 1565. Golding, Ovid’s Met., XII. (1593), 279. Against my toother copemate will I use the same.
β. 1605. Chapman, All Fooles, Plays, 1873, I. 139. Rin. Walke not too boldly, if the Sergeants meete you; You may have swaggering worke your bellie full. Val. No better Copesmates.
1612. W. Parkes, Curtaine-Dr. (1876), 39. He … needes not care … what Copesmate encounters him next.
1624. Bp. Mountagu, Gagg, To Rdr. 1. Being put upon such a copesmate.
1645. Milton, Colast. (1851), 372. This ponderous confuter, elected … to bee my copes-mate.
2. A partner or colleague in power, office, etc.; an associate, companion, comrade.
α. 1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 392. They will not leave [it] to Christ, but will herein also joyne a copemate with him, that Romish vicar.
1626. Bernard, Isle of Man (1627), 12. This lewd companion Sinne, and his Cope-mates.
β. 1577. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 57. In soothe their odd copesmate thou werte.
1592. Greene, Upst. Courtier (1871), 4. They vanished away like Cadmus’ copesmates that sprung up of vipers teeth.
1637. R. Humphrey, trans. St. Ambrose, I. 137. O ye my noble copesmates, drinke your fill.
1656. Trapp, Comm. Matt. xvi. 24. That he might not be … made collateral, a very copesmate, to Christ himself.
[1807. W. Irving, Salmag., xvii. (1824), 324. My copesmates, for what wait we here?]
b. fig. of things.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 145 b. Freewill must of necessitie be copemate with Grace.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 925. Mis-shapen Time, copesmate of ugly Night.
1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, II. iii. 191. Then let him say, whether ♀ looks not … as Potent as her Lower and less Copesmate.
3. spec. a. An accomplice in cheating; a confederate at cards, dice, or the like.
1570. T. Wilson, Demosthenes, 72. These copesmates, and corrupt bribe takers.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 44. There was no … privy pilferer but … he was a copesmate for him.
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., 246. How often had I a Copesmate that stood by … who would tell me what cards they went upon, and what their game was?
b. A paramour.
1593. Tell-Troth’s N. Y. Gift (1876), 17. Were taken by their husbandes with other of their copesmates.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., IV. viii. Wks. (Rtldg.), 24/2. O, this is the female copesmate of my sonne.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 309. Iulia the daughter of Augustus Cæsar … playd false and had many copesmates.
a. 1693. Urquhart, Rabelais, III. xlvi. 373. Who is to be the Copesmate of your Wife.
c. A partner in marriage; a husband or wife.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 17. Husbands … and wiues … contracting second marriages, before … their cope mates be cold in their graues.
1639. Ford, Lady’s Trial, V. i. Was ever such a tatter’d rag of man’s flesh, Patch’d up for copesmate to my niece’s daughter!
1593. G. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., 74. For a time I was vainely suspected by such madd Copesmates, that can surmize any thing for their purpose.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence (1607), 127. Oh wise fellow, without doubt. This copsemate will bring men that haue lost some of their witte, quite beside themselues.
1625. Lisle, Du Bartas, 41. Fooles, idiots, jesters, anticks, and suche copes-mates as of naught-worth are suddenly start up.
1633. W. R., Match at Midn., II. i. in Hazl., Dodsley, XIII. 30. What cope’s-mate’s this, trow? who let him in?
1744. Ozell, trans. Brantome’s Sp. Rhodomontades (ed. 2), 151. An odious, filthy ill-favoured Copes-mate.
