coup /kuː/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1700-1800 ; Language: French ; Origin: 'hit, stroke' ]
1 . a sudden and sometimes violent attempt by citizens or the army to take control of the government SYN coup d'état :
Haiti’s first elected President was deposed in a violent military coup.
a coup attempt by junior officers
He evaded capture after the failed coup.
2 . an achievement that is extremely impressive because it was very difficult:
Beating Arsenal was a major coup for the club.
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COLLOCATIONS
■ adjectives
▪ a military/army coup
He seized power in a military coup in 1977.
▪ an attempted/abortive/failed coup (=one that did not succeed)
There was an attempted coup against Togo’s military dictator.
▪ a successful/unsuccessful coup
The armed forces are too weak to mount a successful coup.
▪ a bloody/bloodless coup (=with or without killing and violence)
In 1974, the regime was overthrown in a bloodless coup.
▪ a presidential coup (=in which power is taken from a president)
The new leader returned the country to democratic rule following his presidential coup.
■ verbs
▪ plan/plot a coup
They were arrested and accused of plotting a coup against the government.
▪ stage/mount/launch a coup (=attempt one)
Later that year, the rebels staged an unsuccessful coup.
▪ foil/crush a coup (=stop it from being successful)
The government foiled an armed coup by rebel soldiers.
▪ be deposed/overthrown in a coup (=lose power in a coup)
The Prime Minister was deposed in a coup by the armed forces.
■ coup + NOUN
▪ a coup attempt
There have been repeated coup attempts against the government.
▪ the coup leader
The coup leaders escaped when the rest of the men were arrested.
▪ a coup plot
He was imprisoned for his part in a coup plot against the regime.
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THESAURUS
▪ revolt/rebellion/uprising an attempt by a large group of people at revolution:
a popular uprising (=involving ordinary people, not the army)
▪ coup /kuː/ an occasion when a group of people, especially soldiers, suddenly take control of a country:
a military coup