écoper

Senses

1. 1.

   to bail (water)

   to remove water from a boat using a scoop or bucket

2. 2.

   to cop/get (colloquial)

   to receive or suffer something unpleasant as a consequence

Examples

• "Le marin doit écoper l'eau qui entre dans le bateau."

  The sailor must bail out the water seeping into the boat.

• "Il a écoper une amende pour stationnement interdit."

  He got a fine for illegal parking.

• "Si tu ne finis pas tes devoirs, tu vas écoper une punition."

  If you don't finish your homework, you'll cop a punishment.

Usage

The nautical sense (to bail water) is the original literal meaning. The colloquial sense (to receive/suffer consequences) is widely used in informal French and means to "get stuck with" or "end up with" something bad. Often used with indirect objects: *écoper une amende*, *écoper une punition*.