coup

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A quick, brilliant, and highly successful act.

   The conference was a major coup for Robarts, who received congratulations for his 'expert handling' of the 'risky venture.'

2. 2
   noun

   Of Native Americans, a blow against an enemy delivered in a way that demonstrates bravery.

   Among the Blackfeet the capture of a shield, bow, gun, war bonnet, war shirt, or medicine pipe was deemed a coup.

3. 3
   noun

   A coup d'état.

   Military coups and the military regimes which follow from them are so much a feature of third world politics that their presence or absence in any given region might almost be taken as a rough and ready touchstone of third worldliness.

4. 4
   noun

   A takeover of one group by another.

   Liz Truss’s government is in chaos after the chancellor refused to confirm he would bring forward his budget to calm the markets and the home secretary accused fellow MPs of a coup against the prime minister. […] Backbenchers also expressed outrage at [Suella] Braverman’s suggestion of a “coup” against Truss.

5. 5
   verb

   To execute a coup.

   The squaws of another race will sing the death-song of their benefactor, and woe to the Sioux if the Northern Cheyennes get a chance to coup !

6. 6
   verb

   To subject (a nation) to a coup d'état.

   We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it.

7. 7
   verb

   To exchange, barter.

   How that he had been couped from hand to hand, ſometimes kept againſt his will as Captive, ſometimes beſieged, ſometimes brought to battle againſt his will by the Duglaſſes to fight againſt the Earl of Lenox, […]

8. 8
   noun

   a brilliant and notable success

Etymology

Reborrowed in modern times from modern French coup (“blow, strike”), from Old French coup, colp, from Late Latin colpus, from Latin colaphus. Doublet of cope and colpus. The same Old French word had been borrowed into Middle English as coupe, caupe (with different pronunciation).