I. cop ‧ y 1 S1 W2 /ˈkɒpi $ ˈkɑːpi/ BrE AmE noun ( plural copies )
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: copie , from Latin copia ; ⇨ ↑ copious ]
1 . [countable] something that is made to be exactly like another thing
copy of
She forwarded them a copy of her British passport.
This chair is a copy of an original design.
Be sure to make copies of all the documents.
back-up copies of your files
2 . [countable] one of many books, magazines, records etc that are all exactly the same
copy of
We have six copies of the movie to give away.
a copy of the local newspaper
The hardback costs £16.99 a copy.
The record sold a million copies.
Free copies are available on request.
3 . [uncountable] technical something written in order to be printed in a newspaper, magazine, advertisement etc:
Now that I’ve seen the finished copy, I’m delighted.
4 . good copy informal interesting news:
The interviews made good copy and helped with the film’s publicity.
⇨ ↑ fair copy , ↑ hard copy , ↑ soft copy
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ be a copy of something
The rug is a copy of a fine Chinese carpet.
▪ make a copy of something
Make a copy of the letter before you send it.
▪ keep a copy of something ( also retain a copy of something formal )
Did you keep a copy of the email?
▪ send/receive a copy of something
Could you send me a copy of the agreement?
▪ attach a copy of something (=in an email)
I’m attaching a copy of the schedule.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + copy
▪ a good copy (=one that is very like the original)
The painting is a good copy of the original.
▪ a close copy (=a good copy)
It is a close copy of a bronze figure found in Iceland.
▪ a back-up copy (=made in case the original is lost)
Be sure you regularly make back-up copies of your data.
II. copy 2 S2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle copied , present participle copying , third person singular copies )
1 . [intransitive and transitive] to deliberately make or produce something that is exactly like another thing:
Could you copy this letter and send it out, please?
To copy a file, press F3.
copy (something) from something
a design copied from an 18th-century wallpaper
The pupils just copy from textbooks and learn facts.
copy something into something
He copied the number into his notebook (=wrote the same number there) .
2 . [transitive] to deliberately do something that someone else has done or behave like someone else:
Children often copy what they see on television.
I found myself copying him and his mannerisms.
3 . [intransitive and transitive] to cheat in an examination, schoolwork etc by looking at someone else’s work and writing the same thing as they have
copy from
Jeremy had copied from the girl next to him.
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THESAURUS
▪ copy to deliberately make or produce something that is exactly like another thing:
You could copy the files onto a CD.
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Many people have tried to copy his paintings.
▪ photocopy to copy a piece of paper with writing or pictures on it, using a machine:
I’ll photocopy the letter and give it to you.
▪ reproduce to print a copy of a picture or document, especially in a book or newspaper:
The image has been reproduced in many magazines and newspapers around the world.
▪ forge to illegally copy something written or printed:
He forged my signature.
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forged £10 notes
▪ pirate to illegally copy and sell something such as a book, video, DVD, or computer program:
The survey suggests that 27% of software in the UK has been pirated.
copy something ↔ down phrasal verb
to write something down exactly as it was said or written:
I must have copied your number down wrong.
copy somebody in phrasal verb
to send someone a copy of an email message you are sending to someone else
copy somebody in on
Can you copy me in on the memo you’re sending to Chris?
copy something ↔ out phrasal verb
to write something again exactly as it is written in the document that you are looking at:
The monks copied their manuscripts out by hand.
copy something ↔ up phrasal verb British English
to write something again in a better or neater form SYN write up :
It is important to copy up your notes soon after the lecture.