cope vs give the old college try

cope

noun
  • The top part of a sand casting mold. 

  • A coping mechanism or self-delusion one clings to in order to endure the hopelessness or despair of existence. 

  • Any covering such as a canopy or a mantle. 

  • A long, loose cloak worn by a priest, deacon, or bishop when presiding over a ceremony other than the Mass. 

  • A covering piece on top of a wall exposed to the weather, usually made of metal, masonry, or stone, and sloped to carry off water. 

  • The vault or canopy of the skies, heavens etc. 

  • An ancient tribute due to the lord of the soil, out of the lead mines in Derbyshire, England. 

verb
  • To cut and form a mitred joint in wood or metal. 

  • To cover (a joint or structure) with coping. 

  • To clip the beak or talons of a bird. 

  • To deal effectively with something, especially if difficult. 

  • To form a cope or arch; to arch or bend; to bow. 

give the old college try

How often have the words cope and give the old college try occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )