cock

[ kok ]

/ kɒk /

noun

a male chicken; rooster.

the male of any bird, especially of the gallinaceous kind.

Also called stopcock. a hand-operated valve or faucet, especially one opened or closed by rotating a cylindrical or tapered plug having part of the passage pierced through it from side to side.

(in a firearm)

the part of the lock that, by its fall or action, causes the discharge; hammer.
the position into which the cock, or hammer, is brought by being drawn partly or completely back, preparatory to firing.

Slang: Vulgar.

penis.
sexual relations with a man.

a weathercock.

aleader; chief person.

Chiefly British Informal. pal; chum.

British Slang. nonsense.

Horology. a bracketlike plate holding bearings, supported at one end only. Compare bridge¹(def 17).

Archaic. the time of the crowing of the cock; early in the morning; cockcrow.

verb (used with object)

to pull back and set the cock, or hammer, of (a firearm) preparatory to firing.

to draw back in preparation for throwing or hitting: He cocked his bat and waited for the pitch.

to set (a camera shutter or other mechanism) for tripping. Compare trip¹(def 28).

verb (used without object)

to cock the firing mechanism of a firearm.

Origin of cock

before 900; Middle English cock, Old English cocc; cognate with Old Norse kokkr; orig. imitative

OTHER WORDS FROM cock

cock·like, adjective

Words nearby cock

cochleovestibular, cochliomyia, cochlitis, cochran, cocinero, cock, cock a snook, cock and bull story, cock feather, cock of the walk, cock of the woods

Definition for cock (2 of 3)

cock ²

[ kok ]

/ kɒk /

verb (used with object)

to set or turn up or to one side, often in an assertive, jaunty, or significant manner: He cocked his eyebrow questioningly.

verb (used without object)

to stand or stick up conspicuously.

Scot. and New England. to strut; swagger; put on airs of importance.

noun

the act of turning the head, a hat, etc., up or to one side in a jaunty or significant way.

the position of anything thus placed.

Origin of cock

First recorded in 1705–15; probably special use of cock¹

Definition for cock (3 of 3)

cock ³

[ kok ]

/ kɒk /

noun Chiefly Northern and North Midland U.S.

a conical pile of hay, dung, etc.

verb (used with object)

to pile (hay, dung, etc.) in cocks.

Origin of cock

1350–1400; Middle English; cognate with dialectal German Kocke heap of hay or dung, Norwegian kok heap, lump; akin to Old Norse kǫkkr lump

Example sentences from the Web for cock

I remember that the first time a reporter came to me I drew myself up straight and was as red as a cock's-comb with joy.

My Double Life |Sarah Bernhardt
To the termination -cock, occurring in so many names, I have already given attention, and the result may be seen in Eng.

Notes and Queries, Number 135, May 29, 1852 |Various
"But I thought you said he was the 'cock of the walk,' and he certainly stood them all down last night," commented Ted.

Captain Ted |Louis Pendleton
Scarcely expected to brush old General Scott's fuss and feathers into a cock'd up hat, eh?

The Adventures of My Cousin Smooth |Timothy Templeton

Killing 'cock, as they dash through the twigs of these and seldom rising above the bushes, is one great test of a shooter's skill.

Poachers and Poaching |John Watson

British Dictionary definitions for cock (1 of 2)

cock ¹

/ (kɒk) /

noun

the male of the domestic fowl

any other male bird
the male of certain other animals, such as the lobster
(as modifier)a cock sparrow

short for stopcock, weathercock

a taboo slang word for penis

the hammer of a firearm
its position when the firearm is ready to be discharged

British informal a friend, mate, or fellow

a jaunty or significant tilting or turning upwards a cock of the head

British informal nonsense

verb

(tr) to set the firing pin, hammer, or breech block of (a firearm) so that a pull on the trigger will release it and thus fire the weapon

(tr) to set the shutter mechanism of (a camera) so that the shutter can be tripped by pressing the shutter-release button

(tr sometimes foll by up) to raise in an alert or jaunty manner

(intr) to stick or stand up conspicuously

Word Origin for cock

Old English cocc (referring to the male fowl; the development of C15 sense spout, tap, and other transferred senses is not clear), ultimately of imitative origin; related to Old Norse kokkr, French coq, Late Latin coccus

British Dictionary definitions for cock (2 of 2)

cock ²

/ (kɒk) /

noun

a small, cone-shaped heap of hay, straw, etc

verb

(tr) to stack (hay, straw, etc) in such heaps

Word Origin for cock

C14 (in Old English, cocc is attested in place names): perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian kok, Danish dialect kok

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

cock

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of cock

OTHER WORDS FROM cock

Words nearby cock

Definition for cock (2 of 3)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of cock

Definition for cock (3 of 3)

noun Chiefly Northern and North Midland U.S.

verb (used with object)

Origin of cock

Example sentences from the Web for cock

British Dictionary definitions for cock (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for cock

British Dictionary definitions for cock (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for cock

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

cock

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of cock

OTHER WORDS FROM cock

Words nearby cock

Definition for cock (2 of 3)

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Origin of cock

Definition for cock (3 of 3)

noun Chiefly Northern and North Midland U.S.

verb (used with object)

Origin of cock

Words related to cock

Example sentences from the Web for cock

British Dictionary definitions for cock (1 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for cock

British Dictionary definitions for cock (2 of 2)

noun

verb

Word Origin for cock