Cooper

UK: /ˈkuːpə/ US: (ko̅o̅′pər, kŏŏp′ər)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Cooper / ˈkuːpə/ noun

1. Anthony Ashley. See (Earl of) Shaftesbury
2. Cary (Lynn). born 1940, British psychologist, noted for his studies of behaviour at work and the causes and treatment of stress
3. Gary, real name Frank James Cooper. 1901–61, US film actor; his many films include Sergeant York (1941) and High Noon (1952), for both of which he won Oscars
4. Sir Henry. 1934–2011, British boxer; European heavyweight champion (1964; 1968–71)
5. James Fenimore 1789–1851, US novelist, noted for his stories of Native Americans, esp The Last of the Mohicans (1826)
6. Leon Neil. born 1930, US physicist, noted for his work on the theory of superconductivity. He shared the Nobel prize for physics 1972
7. Samuel 1609–72, English miniaturist

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

co-op /ˈkoʊɑp/   n. [countable]

1. a cooperative business, building, or apartment:
   The apartment building is now a co-op.

coop /kup, kʊp/   n. [countable]

1. a cage in which poultry are penned.
2. Slang Terms Slang. prison.

v. [~ + object]

3. to place in or as if in a coop:
   The parents had cooped the children in the attic all day.
   [~ + up + object]
   They cooped up the chickens in the barn.
   [~ + object + up]
   They cooped me up in this tiny cell.

Idioms

4. Idioms, Informal Terms fly the coop, to leave or depart abruptly:
   The police were too late; the crooks had flown the coop.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

coop•er  (ko̅o̅′pər, kŏŏp′ər), n. 

1. a person who makes or repairs casks, barrels, etc.

v.t. 

2. to make or repair (casks, barrels, etc.).
3. to furnish or fix (usually fol. by up).

v.i. 

4. to work as a cooper.

• Medieval Latin cūpārius (Latin cūp(a) cask, vat + -ārius -ary)
• Middle Low German kūper or Middle Dutch cūper
• Middle English couper 1350–1400

Coo•per  (ko̅o̅′pər, kŏŏp′ər), n. 

1. Biographical Anthony Ashley. See Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper. 
2. Biographical Hugh Lincoln, 1865–1937, U.S. hydraulic engineer.
James Fen•i•more  (fen′ə môr′, -mōr′), 1789–1851, U.S. novelist.
3. Biographical Leon N., born 1930, U.S. physicist: Nobel prize 1972.
4. Biographical Peter, 1791–1883, U.S. inventor, manufacturer, reformer, and philanthropist.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

co-op  (n., adv. kō′op;v. kō′op, kō op′), n., v., -oped, -op•ing, adv. 
n. 

1. a cooperative store, dwelling, program, etc.

v.t. 

2. to place in a cooperative arrangement, esp. to convert (an apartment or building) to a cooperative.

adv. 

3. Idioms go co-op, to convert to a cooperative:
   Our apartment building is going co-op.

• shortened form 1860–65

co′-op•er, n. 

coop  (ko̅o̅p, kŏŏp), n. 

1. an enclosure, cage, or pen, usually with bars or wires, in which fowls or other small animals are confined for fattening, transportation, etc.
2. any small or narrow place.
3. Slang Terms a prison.
4. Slang Terms [Sometimes Facetious.] a cooperative, esp. the cooperative bookstore of a college or university.
5. fly the coop, [Informal.] to run off;
   depart abruptly;
   escape:
   We stopped to see my sister, but she'd flown the coop.

v.t. 

6. to place in or as if in a coop;
   confine narrowly (often fol. by up or in).

v.i. 

7. Slang Terms (of a police officer) to park and sleep inside one's patrol car while on duty.

• Scandinavian; compare Norwegian kaup wooden can; akin to Old English cȳpa basket
• Middle English coupe basket, perh. 1250–1300

coop., 

1. cooperative.

Also, co-op. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cooper / ˈkuːpə/ noun

1. Also called: hooper a person skilled in making and repairing barrels, casks, etc

verb

1. (transitive) to make or mend (barrels, casks, etc)

Etymology: 13th Century: from Middle Dutch cūper or Middle Low German kūper; see coop¹