COPY | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

Meaning of copy in English

copy
verb [ I or T ]
uk
/ˈkɒp.i/ us
/ˈkɑː.pi/

copy verb [I or T] (REPRODUCE)

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A2
to intentionally make or do something that is the same as an original piece of work:
copy something from someone/something They've copied the basic design from the Japanese model and added a few of their own refinements.
The original painting has been copied many times.
They practised their handwriting by copying.
copy from disapproving He shamelessly copied from American talk radio hosts who stir up controversy.
copy off disapproving He was always copying off other students, but never got caught.
B2
to behave, dress, speak, etc. in a way that is intended to be like someone else, for example, because you admire that person:
copy someone in something He tends to copy his brother in the way he dresses.
Small children often learn by copying.
to create another version of a document, some software, some text, etc. that is exactly the same as the first version:
The scanner can copy images or text.
copy something to something Highlight the text you want and copy it to the clipboard.
copy something into something To copy your messages and contacts into another program, use that program's own import facility.
copy something onto something Patricia's going to copy her novel onto a flash drive and send it to me.
copy and paste
If you copy and paste text, an image, etc. from a computer or phone document, you create another version of it that is exactly the same and put it in a different place or a different document:
A significant percentage of students admit to copying and pasting text from websites.
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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Copying and copies
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copy verb [I or T] (UNDERSTAND)

used, especially when communicating by radio, to tell someone that you have heard or understood, or to ask if someone has heard or understood you:
copy that He pressed the call button on his walkie-talkie: "We've got them." "Copy that. Stay where you are."
"Rodriguez, do you copy?"— "Yes, sir."— "What's your position?"
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Understanding and comprehending
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Phrasal verbs

copy something down
copy someone in
copy something out
copy
noun
uk
/ˈkɒp.i/ us
/ˈkɑː.pi/

copy noun (VERSION)

B1 [ C ]
something that has been made to be exactly like something else:
This painting is only a copy - the original hangs in the Louvre.
keep a copy of I always keep a copy of any official or important letters that I send off.
make a copy of Could you make a copy of (= use a special machine to copy) this for tomorrow's meeting, please?
B2 [ C ]
a single book, newspaper, record, or other printed or recorded text of which many have been produced:
The library has copies of all the national and local newspapers.
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Copying and copies
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copy noun (TEXT)

[ U ]
written text that is to be printed, or text that is intended to help with the sale of a product:
We need someone who can write good copy for our publicity department.
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Publishing: printing & word processing
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(Definition of copy from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

copy | American Dictionary

copy
verb [ T ]
us
/ˈkɑp·i/

copy verb [T] (PRODUCE)

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to produce something that is exactly like another thing, or to do something meant to be like someone or something else:
The design was copied from a 19th-century wallpaper.
He copied the file onto a diskette.
copy
noun
us
/ˈkɑp·i/

copy noun (TEXT)

[ U ]
text that is to be printed, or text that is used to sell a product:
She writes advertising copy.

copy noun (SOMETHING PRODUCED)

[ C ]
something that is exactly like another thing:
I always keep copies of letters I have written.
Please make two copies of this.
[ C ]
A copy is also a single unit of something produced in large numbers, usually for sale:
I had a copy of her latest CD somewhere.
We ordered ten copies of the book.
(Definition of copy from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

copy | Business English

copy
noun
uk
/ˈkɒpi/ us
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[ C ]   COMMERCE
a single book, newspaper, CD, or other printed or recorded product, of which many have been produced:
The 600-page volume has become an instant hit, selling 250,000 copies since its publication in October.
a copy of sth Order your copy of her new album today!
The company is offering a free copy of their anti-virus software.
[ C ]
a document or other printed material that is exactly the same as another one, produced, for example, by using a photocopier or printing it more than once from a computer:
Enclosed is a signed copy of the contract.
make/take a copy I will need to take a copy of your passport.
[ C ]   IT
a computer file, document, etc. that is created to be exactly the same as another one:
Before working on the file, make a copy and save it in another folder.
[ C ]   COMMERCE
a product that is made to look the same as another product, especially illegally:
If you look closely at the label, you can tell it's a copy.
The factories were for making illegal copies of software, CDs, and DVDs.
Compare
bootleg
pirate
[ U ]   MARKETING
the words used in advertising to help sell a product:
The advertising copy is tested with consumer surveys.
[ U ]
writing that is going to be printed in a book, magazine, etc.:
The copy will be checked several times before publication.

See also

advance copy
body copy
carbon copy
certified copy
hard copy
knocking copy
office copy
top copy
copy
verb [ T ]
uk
/ˈkɒpi/ us
to make a copy of a letter, document, etc.:
He was asked to copy the documents to keep on record.
copy sth to sb The report was copied to all the senior members of the department.
IT
to make a copy of a computer file, document, email, etc.:
Copy the files and put them in a new folder.
copy sth to sb Every email I send out, I also copy to my boss.
copy and paste
IT
to make a copy of something on a computer screen and put it in a different place in a document or in a new document, file, or directory:
Copy and paste the text from the box into a word processor document.
to use someone else's idea, design, etc., often illegally:
It is a system that works well and that others can copy.

Phrasal verb

copy sb in
(Definition of copy from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of copy

copy
Contributors receive seventy-five copies of their papers free.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Authors should submit three copies of each illustration.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In this sense, then, control relies on planning to provide an adequate efference copy.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Additional copies, not exceeding 200, may be had at cost price : these should be ordered when the final proof is returned.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Then it is easy to see that replacing f by one more copy of e we would get a triangle-free hypergraph of not smaller weight.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Although recruits were informed of the purpose of the interview, they were not provided with a copy of the interview schedule in advance.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Although the copy numbers of the vector genome were reduced, our data did not rule out promoter shut-off completely.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
She discusses in detail four areas of verbal hygiene: copy editing, teaching grammar in schools, 'political correctness', and self-help language courses for women.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
These master actors teach their students the repertoire of their particular genres by having them copy what they do.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In general, problems with multiple copies mean that this technique, unlike others, should be used with careful consideration.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
One copy of the motet includes a separate verbal canon as well.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
It then takes the real arm and camera off-line, and manipulates the visual grid with efference copies.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Any teacher who wants to explore this fascinating and endlessly exciting genre should keep a copy very near at hand.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The presence of multiple gene copies and isoforms is fairly common among translation factors.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The presence of this material may demonstrate local attempts to copy this foreign style.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
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These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with copy

copy

These are words often used in combination with copy.

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

advertising copy
When this occurred, the decision was made based on the main advertising copy or voice-over.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
backup copy
Restoring the backup copy of these data may reset the volume's password to what it was when the backup was taken.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
bootleg copy
They liked what they had played and noticed a kid with a cassette recorder making a bootleg copy and asked him for the tape.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
See all collocations with copy
What is the pronunciation of copy?
 
A2,B2,B1,B2

Translations of copy

in Chinese (Traditional)
複製, 臨摹, 模仿，效仿…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
复制, 临摹, 模仿，效仿…
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in Spanish
copiar, imitar, copia…
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in Portuguese
copiar, imitar, cópia…
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in more languages
in Marathi
in Japanese
in Turkish
in French
in Catalan
in Dutch
in Tamil
in Hindi
in Gujarati
in Danish
in Swedish
in Malay
in German
in Norwegian
in Urdu
in Ukrainian
in Russian
in Telugu
in Arabic
in Bengali
in Czech
in Indonesian
in Thai
in Vietnamese
in Polish
in Korean
in Italian
प्रत, नक्कल, अनुकरण करणे…
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コピー, （本、雑誌の）～冊, ～をコピーする…
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kopya, benzer, nüsha…
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copie [feminine], reproduction [feminine], exemplaire [masculine]…
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còpia, exemplar, copiar…
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kopie, exemplaar, kopij…
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ஒரு அசல் படைப்பைப் போலவே ஏதாவது ஒன்றை உருவாக்குதல், மற்றவரைப் போல் இருக்க வேண்டும் என்ற நோக்கத்தில் நடந்துகொள்வது, உடை அணிவது…
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(किसी वस्तु के मूल की) कॉपी करना, नकल करना, (किसी के व्यवहार…
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નકલ, પ્રતિકૃતિ, અનુકરણ…
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kopi, efterligning, eksemplar…
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kopia, exemplar, nummer…
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tiruan, naskhah, salinan…
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die Kopie, das Exemplar, der Text…
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kopi [masculine], eksemplar [neuter], kopiere…
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نقل کرنا, نقل (کسی دوسرے کی عادت ، بات چیت یالباس کی ہوبہونقل کرنا), نقل…
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копія, матеріал, знімати копію…
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копия, экземпляр, копировать…
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కాపీ చేయడం, నకలు చేయడం, నకలు తయారు చేయడం…
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نُسْخة, يَنْسَخ, يُقَلِّد…
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নকল করা, কপি করা, মূল কাজ নকল করে হুবহু সেটির কপি উৎপন্ন করা…
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kopie, výtisk, rukopis…
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tiruan, kopi, eksemplar…
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การเลียนแบบ, ฉบับ, เล่ม…
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bản sao, một bản của cuốn sách, tờ báo…
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kopia, egzemplarz, kopiować…
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복사, 한 부, 복사하다…
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copia, esemplare, numero…
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copulated
copulating
copulation
copulatory
copy
copy and paste phrase
copy backup BETA
copy edit
copy editing

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