koap
MediumNeutral to Informal
Definition
Meaning
A cage or enclosure for confining poultry or small animals.
1) To confine or restrict within a limited space. 2) A building or space where a small group works together, often in a creative field (e.g., artist's coop). 3) A cooperative enterprise or housing unit (short for 'cooperative').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The 'confinement' sense is concrete for animals; the human sense implies restriction, often negatively. The 'cooperative' sense is positive and community-oriented.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The spelling 'coop' is standard in both. The 'cooperative' sense is more common in AmE (e.g., 'food co-op'). The verb 'coop up' (to confine) is equally used.
Connotations
The animal enclosure is neutral. 'Cooped up' feels slightly more negative and informal, implying frustration.
Frequency
Noun (enclosure) and phrasal verb ('coop up') are common in everyday speech in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
coop [sb/sth] up (in/inside sth)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “fly the coop (to escape or leave suddenly)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in 'cooperative' as a business model (e.g., 'worker-owned coop').
Academic
Rare, used in agricultural or sociological contexts (e.g., 'poultry coop management', 'housing cooperatives').
Everyday
Very common for animal enclosures and the feeling of being 'cooped up' indoors.
Technical
Used in agriculture (animal husbandry) and urban planning (housing cooperatives).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rainy weather has cooped us all up inside for days.
- He felt cooped up in the small flat.
American English
- Don't coop the dog up in the crate all day.
- I'm tired of being cooped up in the office.
adjective
British English
- This is not a coop business; it's privately owned.
- They live in a coop apartment building.
American English
- She bought her eggs from a local coop farm.
- Coop members get a discount on groceries.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The chickens are in the coop.
- We get eggs from our coop.
- The children built a small coop for their pet rabbits.
- I feel cooped up when I work from home too long.
- After retirement, they decided to fly the coop and travel the world.
- The artist joined a coop to share studio space and costs.
- The regulatory environment can coop up innovation if it's too restrictive.
- The housing coop voted to install solar panels on the roof.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A COOP keeps a COOking bird (a chicken) inside.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS CONFINEMENT ('feeling cooped up'), ESCAPE IS FREEDOM ('fly the coop').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'купить' (to buy). The Russian 'курятник' is the direct equivalent for the chicken enclosure.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'coupe' (a car) or 'co-op' (hyphenated form is also acceptable). Using 'coop' as a regular verb without 'up' (incorrect: 'I cooped the rabbit.' correct: 'I cooped up the rabbit.').
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'fly the coop' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Only in the 'cooperative' sense. 'Coop' (enclosure) comes from Old English, while 'cooperative' comes from Latin 'cooperari' (to work together).
A 'coop' is typically a larger, often outdoor enclosure for poultry or livestock. A 'cage' is usually smaller, made of wire or bars, for pets, birds, or zoo animals.
Rarely. It's almost always used in the phrasal verb form 'coop up' to mean 'confine'.
Both 'co-op' (with hyphen) and 'coop' are accepted, though 'co-op' is more traditional and avoids confusion with the animal enclosure.