I. ˈkäk noun
Etymology: Middle English cok, from Old English cocc, of imitative origin
Date: before 12th century
1.
a. : the adult male of the domestic chicken ( Gallus gallus )
b. : the male of birds other than the domestic chicken
c. : woodcock
d. archaic : the crowing of a cock ; also : cockcrow
e. : weathercock
2. : a device (as a faucet or valve) for regulating the flow of a liquid
3.
a. : a chief person : leader
b. : a person of spirit and often of a certain swagger or arrogance
4.
a. : the hammer in the lock of a firearm
b. : the cocked position of the hammer
5. usually vulgar : penis
•
- cock of the walk
II. verb
Date: 1575
intransitive verb
1. : strut , swagger
2. : to turn, tip, or stick up
3. : to position the hammer of a firearm for firing
transitive verb
1.
a. : to draw the hammer of (a firearm) back and set for firing ; also : to set (the trigger) for firing
b. : to draw or bend back in preparation for throwing or hitting
a quarterback cock ing his arm
cock a bat
c. : to set a mechanism (as a camera shutter) for tripping
2.
a. : to set erect
a dog with one ear cock ed
b. : to turn, tip, or tilt usually to one side
cock one's head
3. : to turn up (as a hat brim)
•
- cock a snook
III. noun
Date: 1717
: tilt , slant
cock of the head
IV. noun
Etymology: Middle English cok; akin to German dialect Kocke pile
Date: 14th century
: a small pile (as of hay)
V. transitive verb
Date: 14th century
: to put (as hay) into cocks