Also 8 copeing. [f. COPE v.1 sense 2 + -ING1.]
1. Arch. The uppermost course of masonry or brickwork in a wall, usually made of a sloping form to throw off rain.
1601. Weever, Mirr. Mart., B v. Warham … The Iron barres vpon the bridge bestow’d: Warner the copings did reedifie.
1611. Bible, 1 Kings vii. 9. Euen from the foundation vnto the coping [1388 Wyclif cop of the wallis].
1840. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Witches’ Frolic. The Vicarage walls are lofty and thick, And the copings are stone and the sides are brick.
1876. Gwilt, Encycl. Archit., Gloss. s.v., Coping thinner on one edge than on the other serves to throw off the water on one side of the wall, and is called feather-edged coping. Coping thicker in the middle than at the edges is called saddle-backed coping.
transf. 1871. Blackie, Four Phases, i. 89. The eyebrows form a sort of coping or fence which prevents the sweat from the forehead flowing into the organ of vision.
2. An overhanging ledge or shelf for protecting wall-fruit. Cf. COPE v.1 4.
1881. Garden, Feb., 105. A broad Coping of glass, if possible 2 ft. wide and portable.
3. Comb., as coping-brick, a brick used for a coping. See also COPING-STONE.
1725. Bradley, Fam. Dict., s.v. Wall, Fence-Walls built of great Bricks are coped with Coping Bricks.
