cope vs give the old college try

cope

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. 

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. 

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 )