Cock

n. [A-S. coc, or cocc, Fr. coq.]

1. The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or domestic fowls.
2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.

You cataracts and hurricanes, spout Till you have drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! Shak. 3. A chief man; a leader. [Humorous.] Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left us. Addison. 4. The time when cocks crow in the morning; cock-crow. He begins at curfew, and goes till the first cock. Shak. 5. An instrument to draw out or discharge liquor from a cask or like vessel; a spout. Johnson says, “The handle 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 cristæ galli, i. e., in the form of a cock's comb.

6. The act of turning or of setting up; and also the effect or form produced by such an act; as, a cock of the eye; a cock of the head or nose; to give a hat a saucy cock; to mold a hat into different cocks.
7. That part of the lock of a fire-arm which holds the flint in a flint-lock, or is the hammer of a percussion lock. [See Illust. of Musket.]
8. The style or gnomon of a dial. Chambers.
9. The indicator of a balance. Johnson.
10. The wrought piece which covers the balance in some watches. Bailey.
11. [Pr. coca, It. cocca, Fr. coche.] The notch of an arrow. Johnson.
12. [O. Fr. coque, Sp. coca, It. cocca, Fr. coche, f., a small vessel, from Lat. concha, muscle-shell, a vessel. Cf. COACH and COG.] A small boat.

The fishermen that walked upon the beach Appear like mice; and yon tall anchoring bark Diminished to her cock, her cock a buoy Almost too small for sight. Shak.

13. A small conical pile of hay.
14. A room at the top of the house; a cock-loft.

When every room Hath blazed with lights, and brayed with minstrelsy, I have retired me to a wasteful cock, And set mine eyes at flow. Shak. Cock-a-hoop, or cock-on-the-hoop, [Fr. huppe, a crest on the head of birds; hence, coq a huppe, crested cock, proud fellow.] triumphant, exulting.—Cock and bull, a tedious, trifling, or exaggerated story.

[imp. & p. p. COCKED (kŏkt); p. pr. & vb. n. COCKING.] 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 place upon the head in a manner indicating jauntiness or pertness.

If two roisterers met, they cocked their hats in each other's faces, and pushed each other about till the weaker was shoved toward the kennel. Macaulay.

4. To set up in small conical piles, as hay.
5. To set or draw back the cock, in order to fire. Dryden.