collar and cop share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. collar means “a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over”. cop means “take by theft”. cop is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈkɑlɚ/
1.n.a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over
2.n.(zoology) an encircling band or marking around the neck of any animal
3.n.anything worn or placed about the neck
“the thief was forced to wear a heavy wooden collar”
/ˈkɑp/
1.v.take by theft
“Someone snitched my wallet!”
2.v.take into custody
“the police nabbed the suspected criminals”
3.n.uncomplimentary terms for a policeman
| collar | cop | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɑlɚ/ | /ˈkɑp/ |
| Said | KAH-lur | kahp |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 3 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 12 | 3 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | neckband | hook, snitch, thieve |
Full entry for collar · Full entry for cop · More comparisons