\Cock\, n. [AS. coc; of unknown origin, perh. in imitation
of the cry of the cock. Cf. {Chicken}.]
1. The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or
   domestic fowls.
2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.
         Drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! --Shak.
3. A chief man; a leader or master. [Humorous]
         Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left
         us.                                   --Addison.
4. The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning;
   cockcrow. [Obs.]
         He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock.
                                               --Shak.
5. A faucet or valve.
Note: Jonsons says, ``The handly 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 crit[ae] galli, i.e., in the form of a cock's
      comb.
6. The style of gnomon of a dial. --Chambers.
7. The indicator of a balance. --Johnson.
8. The bridge piece which affords a bearing for the pivot of
   a balance in a clock or watch. --Knight.
{Ball cock}. See under {Ball}.
{Chaparral cock}. See under {Chaparral}.
{Cock and bull story}, {an extravagant}, boastful story; a
   canard.
{Cock of the plains} (Zo["o]l.) See {Sage cock}.
{Cock of the rock} (Zo["o]l.), a South American bird
   ({Rupicola aurantia}) having a beautiful crest.
{Cock of the walk}, a chief or master; the hero of the hour;
   one who has overcrowed, or got the better of, rivals or
   competitors.
{Cock of the woods}. See {Capercailzie}.

\Cock\ (k[o^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cocked} (k[o^]kt); p.
pr. & vb. n. {Cocking}.] [Cf. Gael. coc to cock.]
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 set on one side in a pert or jaunty manner.
         They cocked their hats in each other's faces.
                                               --Macaulay.
4. To turn (the eye) obliquely and partially close its lid,
   as an expression of derision or insinuation.
{Cocked hat}.
   (a) A hat with large, stiff flaps turned up to a peaked
       crown, thus making its form triangular; -- called also
       {three-cornered hat}

\Cock\, v. i.
To strut; to swagger; to look big, pert, or menacing.
--Addison.

\Cock\, n.
The act of cocking; also, the turn so given; as, a cock of
the eyes; to give a hat a saucy cock.

\Cock\, n. [It. cocca notch of an arrow.]
1. The notch of an arrow or crossbow.
2. The hammer in the lock of a firearm.
{At cock}, {At full cock}, with the hammer raised and ready
   to fire; -- said of firearms, also, jocularly, of one
   prepared for instant action.
{At half cock}. See under {Half}.
{Cock feather} (Archery), the feather of an arrow at right
   angles to the direction of the cock or notch. --Nares.

\Cock\, v. t.
To draw the hammer of (a firearm) fully back and set it for
firing.

\Cock\, v. i.
To draw back the hammer of a firearm, and set it for firing.
      Cocked, fired, and missed his man.       --Byron.

\Cock\, n. [Cf. Icel. k["o]kkr lump, Dan. kok heap, or E.
cock to set erect.]
A small concial pile of hay.

\Cock\, v. t.
To put into cocks or heaps, as hay.
      Under the cocked hay.                    --Spenser.

\Cock\, n. [Of. coque, F. coche, a small vessel, L. concha
muscle shell, a vessel. See {Coach}, and cf. {Cog} a small
boat.]
A small boat.
      Yond tall anchoring bark [appears] Diminished to her
      cock; her cock, a buoy Almost too small for sight.
                                               --Shak.

\Cock\, n.
A corruption or disguise of the word God, used in oaths.
[Obs.] ``By cock and pie.'' --Shak.