copper

Pluralcoppers (some meanings)

Formscoppers, coppering, coppered

1. 1
   raw metalnoununcountable

   A soft, reddish-brown metal that carries heat and electricity very well.

   Like the reddish metal you see inside many old coins and electric wires.

   The wires inside the cable are made of copper.

   Copper turns greenish after many years out in the rain.

   UsageNo a for the metal: made of copper. A copper is a coin or a police officer.

2. 2
   adjective

   Made from copper, a soft reddish-brown metal.

   The old farmhouse had a copper roof.

   She polished the copper pot until it shone.

3. 3
   the coloradjective

   Reddish-brown, like the metal copper.

   Like the warm orange-red of an old penny.

   She admired the copper leaves falling from the maple tree.

   His copper beard caught the firelight.

   UsageMostly before a noun: copper hair. People also say coppery.

   Similarrusset, auburn, bronze, ginger

   Note
4. 4
   the colornouncountable or uncountable

   A reddish-brown color, like a shiny new penny.

   Like the color of a brand-new penny.

   She painted the bedroom walls a warm copper.

   The sunset glowed a deep copper over the hills.

   Similarrusset, auburn

5. 5
   coinnouncolloquialUKcountable

   A low-value coin that looks like copper, such as a British penny or two-pence coin.

   Like a penny in your pocket.

   He dropped a few coppers into the beggar's cup.

   I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers.

   1799, Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin FranklinHere, coppers means coins of small value made of copper.

   UsageUsually plural: a few coppers.

   Similarpenny

   Note
6. 6
   metal itemnouncountable

   A tool or container made of copper, where the copper is needed for it to work or is traditional.

   The old brewery still uses a huge copper to make its beer.

   Some coppers come already tinned. I didn't buy mine, so they surely were not tinned.

   1890, The Manufacturer and BuilderHere, coppers means tools or items made of copper.

   Note

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