To cop means to get or take something, often in a casual or slightly sneaky way. If your friend says they're going to cop some extra cookies from the kitchen, they mean they're going to grab a few when no one's looking. Someone might cop a seat on the bus by moving quickly when one opens up.

The word often suggests getting something that's somewhat hard to get or that you're lucky to obtain. A sneakerhead might say they finally copped those limited-edition shoes they'd been wanting. In this sense, it's like scoring something valuable or desirable.

You might also hear someone say “cop to” something, which means to admit or confess. If you cop to forgetting your homework, you're owning up to it honestly rather than making excuses.

As a noun, cop is also a common informal term for a police officer. A police officer might be called a traffic cop, beat cop, or just a cop. While it's casual, it's not considered disrespectful like some other slang terms for police.