Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Cock?

\Cock\, n. [AS. coc; of unknown origin, perh. in imitation of the cry of the cock. Cf. {Chicken}.] 1. The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or domestic fowls. 2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock. Drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! --Shak. 3. A chief man; a leader or master. [Humorous] Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left us. --Addison. 4. The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning; cockcrow. [Obs.] He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock. --Shak. 5. A faucet or valve. Note: Jonsons says, ``The handly probably had a cock on the top; things that were contrived to turn seem anciently to have had that form, whatever was the reason.'' Skinner says, because it used to be constructed in forma crit[ae] galli, i.e., in the form of a cock's comb. 6. The style of gnomon of a dial. --Chambers. 7. The indicator of a balance. --Johnson. 8. The bridge piece which affords a bearing for the pivot of a balance in a clock or watch. --Knight. {Ball cock}. See under {Ball}. {Chaparral cock}. See under {Chaparral}. {Cock and bull story}, {an extravagant}, boastful story; a canard. {Cock of the plains} (Zo["o]l.) See {Sage cock}. {Cock of the rock} (Zo["o]l.), a South American bird ({Rupicola aurantia}) having a beautiful crest. {Cock of the walk}, a chief or master; the hero of the hour; one who has overcrowed, or got the better of, rivals or competitors. {Cock of the woods}. See {Capercailzie}.
\Cock\ (k[o^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cocked} (k[o^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. {Cocking}.] [Cf. Gael. coc to cock.] 1. To set erect; to turn up. Our Lightfoot barks, and cocks his ears. --Gay. Dick would cock his nose in scorn. --Swift. 2. To shape, as a hat, by turning up the brim. 3. To set on one side in a pert or jaunty manner. They cocked their hats in each other's faces. --Macaulay. 4. To turn (the eye) obliquely and partially close its lid, as an expression of derision or insinuation. {Cocked hat}. (a) A hat with large, stiff flaps turned up to a peaked crown, thus making its form triangular; -- called also {three-cornered hat}
\Cock\, v. i. To strut; to swagger; to look big, pert, or menacing. --Addison.
\Cock\, n. The act of cocking; also, the turn so given; as, a cock of the eyes; to give a hat a saucy cock.
\Cock\, n. [It. cocca notch of an arrow.] 1. The notch of an arrow or crossbow. 2. The hammer in the lock of a firearm. {At cock}, {At full cock}, with the hammer raised and ready to fire; -- said of firearms, also, jocularly, of one prepared for instant action. {At half cock}. See under {Half}. {Cock feather} (Archery), the feather of an arrow at right angles to the direction of the cock or notch. --Nares.
\Cock\, v. t. To draw the hammer of (a firearm) fully back and set it for firing.
\Cock\, v. i. To draw back the hammer of a firearm, and set it for firing. Cocked, fired, and missed his man. --Byron.
\Cock\, n. [Cf. Icel. k["o]kkr lump, Dan. kok heap, or E. cock to set erect.] A small concial pile of hay.
\Cock\, v. t. To put into cocks or heaps, as hay. Under the cocked hay. --Spenser.
\Cock\, n. [Of. coque, F. coche, a small vessel, L. concha muscle shell, a vessel. See {Coach}, and cf. {Cog} a small boat.] A small boat. Yond tall anchoring bark [appears] Diminished to her cock; her cock, a buoy Almost too small for sight. --Shak.
\Cock\, n. A corruption or disguise of the word God, used in oaths. [Obs.] ``By cock and pie.'' --Shak.