cock

¹ American  

[kok] / kɒk /

noun

1. a male chicken; rooster.

2. the male of any bird, especially a gallinaceous bird.

3. 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.

4. (in a firearm)

   1. the part of the lock that, by its fall or action, causes the discharge; hammer.

   2. the position into which the cock, or hammer, is brought by being drawn partly or completely back, preparatory to firing.

5. Slang: Vulgar.

   1. penis.

   2. sexual relations with a man.

6. a weathercock.

7. a leader; chief person.

8. Chiefly British Informal. pal; chum.

9. British Slang. nonsense.

10. Horology. a bracketlike plate holding bearings, supported at one end only.

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

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verb (used with object)

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

2. to draw back in preparation for throwing or hitting.

   He cocked his bat and waited for the pitch.

3. to set (a camera shutter or other mechanism) for tripping.

verb (used without object)

1. to cock the firing mechanism of a firearm.

cock ² American  

[kok] / kɒk /

verb (used with object)

1. to set or turn up or to one side, often in an assertive, jaunty, or significant manner.

   He cocked his eyebrow questioningly.

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verb (used without object)

1. to stand or stick up conspicuously.

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

noun

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

2. the position of anything thus placed.

idioms

1. cock a snook. snook.

cock ³ American  

[kok] / kɒk /

noun

Chiefly Northern and North Midland U.S.

1. a conical pile of hay, dung, etc.

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verb (used with object)

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

cock ¹ British  

/ kɒk /

noun

1. the male of the domestic fowl

2. 1. any other male bird

   2. the male of certain other animals, such as the lobster

   3. ( as modifier )

      a cock sparrow

3. short for stopcock weathercock

4. a taboo slang word for penis

5. 1. the hammer of a firearm

   2. its position when the firearm is ready to be discharged

6. informal a friend, mate, or fellow

7. a jaunty or significant tilting or turning upwards

   a cock of the head

8. informal nonsense

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verb

1. (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

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

3. to raise in an alert or jaunty manner

4. (intr) to stick or stand up conspicuously

cock ² British  

/ kɒk /

noun

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

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• cocklike adjective

Etymology

Origin of cock¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English coc, cock, cocke, Old English coc, cocc; cognate with Old Norse kokkr; imitative of a rooster's crow

Origin of cock²

First recorded in 1705–15; probably special use of cock ¹

Origin of cock³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English cok “cock (of hay), shock (of grain)”; cognate with dialectal German Kocke “heap of hay or dung”; akin to Norwegian kok “heap, lump,” Old Norse kǫkkr “lump”

Example Sentences

“The whole thing is one of these classic cock ups in government where nobody had a full view of the facts,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Thomas’ conversational exchange about “trying to play these boys the new cock robin” – a cock robin reportedly being old English slang for "someone who’s easily persuaded to follow the will of another."

From Salon • May 2, 2025

“If you’re trying to cock the gun and you lose your grasp on it, the hammer falls — that safety notch captures it,” Haag said.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2024

Mercedes have moved their cock pit further back in their cars, as per requested by Lewis Hamilton.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2024

We learn each step: prime the pan, charge the piece with powder, put in the musket ball, ram down the charge, cock the match....

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

Related Words

• draw back the hammer
• perk up
• raise the hammer of
• upraise