Cop Out——反悔食言

** back out of a responsibility or commitment（放棄責任或承諾）

~~ 反悔食言；退縮；逃避責任；反悔；變卦了；打了退堂鼓

~~ pass the buck（推卸責任）// back down （退縮）// break a promise （違約）// chicken out （臨陣退縮）// get cold feet （突然退縮）// wriggle out of it （避開）// weasel out （推諉）

!! In the 1930s,“cop”meant to be apprehended by a policeman. To “cop out” meant to plead guilty, especially in “cop a plea.”

（一九三○年代，“cop”意思是被警察逮捕。“cop out”意思是認罪，尤其是“承認有罪以求輕判”。）

!! In the 1950s, “cop out” evolved to mean making a full confession of some crime. Then it meant surrendering, or giving up one’s criminal lifestyle.

（一九五○年代，“cop out”演變為完全承認某些罪行。然後意味着屈服，或者放棄自己的犯罪生活方式。）

!! Beginning in the 1960s, “cop out” developed to mean a person was evading an issue or avoiding trouble with or without an excuse.（從一九六○年代開始，“cop out”的意思發展到一個人在有或沒有藉口下迴避問題或避免麻煩。）

>> The murderer had promised to surrender to the police, but eventually copped out.（這個殺人通緝犯原承諾向警方自首，但最終反悔食言。）

>> To depress the market, he had sold shares at about \$2000, but every time he sold, they were immediately absorbed. He then copped out, and bought back at about \$2500 instead.（為了打壓市場，他以大約二千元的價格出售了股票，但每次出售時，股票立即被吸納。然後他退縮了，並以約二千五百元的價格回購了股票。）

學勤進修教育中心英語專科導師 李啟文 教授