verb
BAD : I think I shall imitate my friend and join the club too.
GOOD : I think I shall copy my friend and join the club too.
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imitate = do something in exactly the same way that someone else does it: 'Have you heard him trying to imitate an Englishman speaking French?' 'He walks as if he is trying to imitate Donald Duck.'
copy = do the same thing as someone else: 'As soon as I began cycling to work, people started copying me.' 'His little sister wants to copy him all the time.'