cop-out 

Refers to any pathetically-threadbare "easy-but-ineffective solution" excuse used to maintain the infamous "blue wall of silence" and avoid having to terminate --- or at least adequately discipline --- a morally-delinquent officer for grossly unacceptable actions.

Disgruntled citizen, speaking to his wife over morning coffee and reading the newspaper: Huh --- says here that the sheriff claims his deputies just need "additional training" in the wake of a spate of police-brutality and racial-profiling complaints... what a cop-out! The problem is that those piglice are dyed-in-the-wool assholes, and he knows it --- "training" isn't gonna help THOSE sadistic bullies; they behave that way due to their basic evil/hurtful nature, not because they are merely not "learned" or "familiar" enough about their assigned duties or how they're supposed to act!

cop-out by QuacksO March 22, 2017

Cop-out 

(n) - an excuse to injure or kill someone that only works if you're a law enforcement officer: it gets a cop out of trouble.

"I feared for my life when he reached for his wallet,' is such a cop-out."

Cop-out by Dex Novice April 16, 2021

cop out 

n. An excuse designed to shirk responsibility.

Don't say you need to aaronize. That's just a cop out.

cop out by The Grammar Nazi December 3, 2001

cop out 

n. refers to taking the easy way out of a sticky situation. Placing blame on something else to make things easier for yourself is a a cop out

Saying you're sick just because you want to avoid a big test that you're prepared but scared for is a cop out.

cop out by Chanceit January 7, 2008

cop out 

n. an excuse to take the easy way out, an excuse to not finish something in an acceptable way

This phrase was parodied by Monty Python to end some sketches. Instead of a climax or punch line, the police (cops) would turn up and arrest the characters. Therefore, they would literally "cop out" of finishing the sketch. The most notable was at the end of "Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail".

cop out by IndyMac March 23, 2009

Cop out 

when someone backs out from a responsibility or commitment because they're lazy or don't want to. The first simple definition that came to mind. To remember it, think of it this way: An angry Karen complains at the nearest police office(don't why but just for this ex.). The officer there named Jerry doesn't want to deal with that rn and leaves. He tells his trustworthy friend, officer Bob, "I'm out"...or in this case since he's a popo(slang for police), "COP OUT".

Even though Officer Jerry's shift wasn't over, Officer Bob still let Jerry cop out on dealing with the Karen bringing her problems to the police station because he's a good a friend. Kudos to him

Cop out by HE :) WHO WRITES April 18, 2021

cop out 

An event or climax that is extremely built up to and hyped, only to turn out to be a completely boring and utterly unimpressive waste of time.

The ending to Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain.

"Wait...the completely unstoppable supervirus turned into a non-lethal form. Now it eats rubber instead of killing people! We are saved!"

Reader: "What a fucking cop out."

cop out by Desmond Jones May 16, 2006