cog

¹

[ kog, kawg ]

noun

1. a gear tooth, formerly especially one of hardwood or metal, fitted into a slot in a gearwheel of less durable material.
2. a cogwheel.
3. a person who plays a minor part in a large organization, activity, etc.:

   He's just a small cog in the financial department.

verb (used without object)

, cogged, cog·ging.

1. (of an electric motor) to move jerkily.

verb (used with object)

, cogged, cog·ging.

1. to roll or hammer (an ingot) into a bloom or slab.

cog

²

[ kog, kawg ]

verb (used with object)

, cogged, cog·ging.

1. to manipulate or load (dice) unfairly.

verb (used without object)

, cogged, cog·ging.

1. to cheat, especially at dice.

cog

³

[ kog, kawg ]

noun

1. Carpentry. (in a cogged joint) the tongue in one timber, fitting into a corresponding slot in another.
2. Mining. a cluster of timber supports for a roof. Compare chock ( def 4 ).

verb (used with or without object)

, cogged, cog·ging.

1. Carpentry. to join with a cog.

cog.

⁴

abbreviation for

1. cognate.

cog

¹

/ kɒɡ /

verb

1. slang.
   to cheat (in a game, esp dice), as by loading a dice

cog

²

/ kɒɡ /

noun

1. a tenon that projects from the end of a timber beam for fitting into a mortise

verb

1. tr to join (pieces of wood) with cogs

cog

³

/ kɒɡ /

noun

1. any of the teeth or projections on the rim of a gearwheel or sprocket
2. a gearwheel, esp a small one
3. a person or thing playing a small part in a large organization or process

verb

1. tr metallurgy to roll (cast-steel ingots) to convert them into blooms

Word History and Origins

Origin of cog¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English cogge, probably from a North Germanic language; compare Swedish kugge, Norwegian kugg “cog”; akin to German Kugel “bullet, ball, shot,” Old English cycgel ( cudgel ( def ) )

Origin of cog²

First recorded in 1525–35; origin uncertain

Origin of cog³

1855–60; special use of cog ¹; replacing cock in same sense, special use of cock ¹ (in sense of projection); coak

Word History and Origins

Origin of cog¹

C16: originally a dice-playing term, of unknown origin

Origin of cog²

C19: of uncertain origin

Origin of cog³

C13: of Scandinavian origin; compare Danish kogge, Swedish kugge, Norwegian kug

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. slip a cog, to make a blunder; err:

   One of the clerks must have slipped a cog.

More idioms and phrases containing cog

In addition to the idiom beginning with cog , also see slip a cog .

Example Sentences

The 24-year-old was a crucial cog in the United States' Olympic gold-medal winning campaign, hitting the back of the net three on three occasions at Paris 2024.

From BBC

At the set-piece she was a key cog in the Irish line-out, winning 13 in total, including one steal.

From BBC

The 24-year-old was a crucial cog in Emma Hayes' United States gold-medal-winning machine, hitting the back of the net on three occasions at Paris 2024.

From BBC

Molden has become a key cog in the secondary since joining the Chargers after training camp in a trade with the Tennessee Titans, starting three games with 18 tackles and one interception.

From Los Angeles Times

“The Penguin” picks up from the 2022 film “The Batman” and will presumably lead to “The Batman Part II” in 2026; “Agatha” is reportedly the second installment in a trilogy that began with “WandaVision” in 2021, and more generally a cog in the machine that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or MCU, which always sounds like a part of the hospital I don’t want to end up in.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• prong