cops and robbers

noun

1. a children's game in which a group of players imitate the behavior of police and of thieves, as in pursuing and capturing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of cops and robbers¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

He loved “the game of cops and robbers,” he recounted, and became an expert prevaricator.

From Los Angeles Times

He said in their early 20s, the rappers ran around Shakur’s backyard with unloaded guns playing a game of cops and robbers.

From Seattle Times

“When my friends played cops and robbers, I always chose to be the cop,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

That kind of cash can affect what editors and journalists choose to take on, forgoing coverage of the unglamorous to pour scant resources into pieces that translate into compelling TV: character-driven stories about true crime, cops and robbers, and the ungodly rich.

From Washington Post

He also took a shot at Walker, saying voting for a candidate “who carries around a phony badge and says he’s in law enforcement like he’s a kid playing cops and robbers” isn’t the way to address concerns over crime.

From Washington Post