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# coup

noun (a coup, coups)

«coup» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A sudden, often violent, illegal taking of power in a country, usually by the army; also called a coup d'état. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#m1)
2. A clever, successful action that wins something hard to get. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history and news lessons it appears when soldiers or leaders take over a government without an election. In everyday talk it can mean a great success ("getting that star player was a coup"). Phrases: "military coup", "failed coup", "a coup d'état", "a real coup".

### Examples

- The army took power in a coup. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#x1)
- The coup failed, and the president stayed in power. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#x2)
- Getting the famous author to visit our school was a real coup. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#x3)
- After the coup, there were protests in the streets. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#x4)
- A coup d'état is French for "a blow against the state". [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/#x5)

### Note

Pronounced "koo"; the p is silent. Plural: coups (also "koos"). From French "coup" meaning a blow or hit. Do not confuse with "coop" (a hen house) or "coupe".

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «coup» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/coup/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«coup» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/coup.html) on Mova free.