coppers

Noun

copper (countable and uncountable, plural coppers)

1. (uncountable) A reddish-brown metallic chemical element (symbol Cu) with the atomic number 29; also, the metal made up of this element.
   • Men talke much […] of the Philoſophers ſtone, that it turneth copper into gold; […]1611, [Miles Smith], “The Translators to the Reader”, in The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC
2. (broadly, uncountable) The reddish-brown colour of copper (etymology 1, noun sense 1).
   • Near-synonyms: chestnut, russet

   Synonyms:

   chestnut, russet

   1. (broadly, countable) In full copper butterfly: any of various lycaenid butterflies with copper-coloured upperwings, especially those of the genera Lycaena and Paralucia.
3. (broadly, countable, dated) Any of various specialized items made of copper (etymology 1, noun sense 1), where the use of the metal is either necessary or traditional to the function of the item.
   • Coppers are generally good for a year, if the battery is carefully attended; they should, however, be removed before they have increased to such a size that their removal might cause the destruction of the glass jars.1885 December, “Main Batteries”, in General Rules and Regulations Applicable to All Employes of the Chicago and Grand Trunk R[ailwa]y Company, Detroit, Grand Haven & Milwaukee R’y, and Railways...
   1. (broadly, countable, dated) A copper mug used for drinking alcoholic beverages.
      • [H]e slid down from his seat, and darted into the public house, reappearing in a few moments with a copper of ale and a horn in his hand: he and another man held open the horses' mouths, and poured the ale through the horn down their throats.1812, [Maria] Edgeworth, “The Absentee. Chapter XIII.”, in Tales of Fashionable Life (2nd series), volume VI, London: […] [Heney] for J[oseph] Johnson and Co., […], →OCLC, page 238
   2. (broadly, countable, dated) A copper sheet on which an image or writing is engraved.
      • [H]e went to sleep, taking first out of his pocket a book,[…]. It proved to be my old favorite author, [John] Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, in Dutch, finely printed on good paper, with copper cuts, a dress better than I had ever seen it wear in its own language.1771–1790, Benjamin Franklin, “The Autobiography [Part 1]”, in John Bigelow, editor, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. […], Philadelphia, Pa.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott & Co., published 1868...

See all 25 meanings of copper