The etymology of copious refers to the Latin word copiōsus . The concept is used as an adjective to describe that which is excessive, profuse or abundant .
For example: “At the hotel where we stayed in Punta Cana they served us a copious breakfast, ideal for starting the day with lots of energy” , “I have not yet had time to study this employee's copious file, so I have not yet made any decision” , “Upon observing the injured man, the doctor was concerned about the copious bleeding and decided to immediately transfer him to the hospital” .
If we analyze the examples mentioned, we can understand precisely what the idea of copious refers to. A “copious breakfast” ; in this context, is one that includes a wide variety and quantity of foods : milk, coffee, juice, fresh fruit, cereals, cookies, etc. A “copious file” , on the other hand, is made up of many sheets that detail the background of the worker in question. “Copious bleeding” , finally, refers to a loss of blood that does not stop and, therefore, puts the person's life at risk.
Copious, in short, is something numerous, nourished or exaggerated . If the police enter the shelter of a gang of criminals and find eight machine guns, ten revolvers, five knives and two grenades, it can be said that these criminals had a “copious arsenal” . A writer who is mentioned as a “copious contributor” to the newspapers and magazines of his city , is someone who frequently publishes various articles and columns in the media.
On the other hand, there is the idea of copious rain , an expression that is often used to refer to abundant rain, of a large volume and falling at a constant rate. In this case, unlike some of the previous examples, the term can have a positive or negative connotation, depending on the part of the world in which the precipitation occurs.
If we focus on a large city with the necessary infrastructure to cope with heavy rain, which can last for several days, then it will simply be a period of time in which the inhabitants find it difficult to move around and fulfil their obligations . Let us not forget that by infrastructure we mean a series of facilities, services or elements that serve to ensure that any social organisation, such as a city or a country, functions properly.
However, if heavy rain falls in a region that is not prepared to withstand large volumes of water for several days, it will probably cause flooding, with the inevitable damage and accidents that are usually associated with such situations. For example, in the context of a flood, it is common for certain buildings to deteriorate or collapse, for many cars to be swept away by the current , for educational activities to be interrupted and for there to be power outages, among many other disruptions.
Similar to rain, the adjective copious also serves to describe the intensity of crying, specifically tears : "At the news of his death, copious tears flowed from his eyes and he fell onto the bed, where he remained for several hours."
The term copious has several synonyms, some of which are used more frequently in everyday speech, such as the following: nutrido, quantioso, abundant, rico, colmado, numeroso and considerable . With respect to its most common antonym, escúdar , it can also be used to describe the noun lluvia , although not in everyday speech, but in the field of meteorology: «For tomorrow, cloudy intervals are forecast throughout the day, with little rain in the afternoon» .