Heading
Cochineal Dye, subs, (pugilistic).—Blood. [From the colour.] For synonyms, see Claret.
1853. Rev. E. Bradley ('Cuthbert Bede'), Verdant Green, pt. 11., p. 31. He would kindly inquire of one gentleman, 'What d'ye ask for a pint of your cochineal dye?'
1883. Referee. It certainly seemed that their stock-in-trade was largely composed of cochineal dye; there was in truth no lack of the gory accessory of the fight
Cock, subs. (common).—1. The
penis, Cf., Ger., Hahn, Hän-*chen.
[Possibly related to 'cock'
= turn-valve.] For synonyms,
see cream-stick.
1600. Shakspeare, King Henry V., ii. i.—Cf.
1647. Beaumont and Fletcher. The Custom of the County, v., 4. The mainspring's weakened that holds up his cock.
1730 Bailey Dict., s.v.
1737. Rabelais. Trans. I., 185., s.v.
1807. Rabelais. Trans. [Longman's ed.]. s.v., I., 169.
1849. Rabelais. Trans. [Bohn's ed.], s.v., I., 135.
2. (colloquial).—A chief or leader; particularly in such phrases as cock of the walk, school, etc. [A simile drawn from the barndoor.] Cf., sense 3, and adj.
1711. Spectator, No. 131. Service to the knight. Sir Andrew is grown the cock of the club since he left us, and if he does not return quickly will make every mother's son of us commonwealth's men.
1729. Swift, Grand Question Debated. But at cuffs I was always the cock of the school.
1764. O'Hara, Midas, I., 1. Cock of the school. He bears despotic rule.
1811-63. W. M. Thackeray, Miscellanies, II., 275. There is no more dangerous or stupifying position for a man in life than to be a cock of small society.
1862. Mrs. H. Wood, Channings, ch. xxix. 'Were I going in for the seniorship, and one below me were suddenly hoisted above my head, and made a cock of the walk, I'd know the reason why.
3. (common).—A familiar address; e.g., old cock, or jolly old cock. [Probably derived from sense 1.] Amongst similiar expressions may be mentioned old man, my pippin, and in French, mon vieux zig, or lapin.
1639. Massinger, Unnatural Combat, II., i. He has drawn blood of him yet: well done, old cock.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. XVIIL, ch. x. Then give me thy fist, a't as hearty an honest cock as any in the kingdom.
1825. The English Spy, vol. I., p. 215. The low-bred, vulgar, Sunday throng, Who dine at two, are ranged along On both sides of the way; With various views these honest folk Descant on fashions, quiz and joke, Or mark the shy cock down.[*]
1836. C. Dickens, Pickwick Papers (about 1827), p. 367 (ed. 1857). 'Do you always smoke arter you goes to bed, old cock?' inquired Mr. Weller of his landlord, when they had both retired for the night. 'Yes, I does, young Bantam,' replied the cobbler.
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 278. The people down here are a queer lot, but I have hunted up two or three jolly cocks, and we contrive to keep the place alive between us.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xvi. Shrewd old cock, Mr. Binnie. Has brought home a good bit of money from India.
1870. London Figaro, 19 Oct. What on earth is the meaning of Mr. Santley's voice being over-crowed by a mammoth orchestra? I never heard before that fiddles crowed, or that Mr. Santley was a cock. He is what is known as a jolly cock, but there his similarity to the noisy fowl ends.
4. (racing).—A horse not intended to win the race for which it is put down, but kept in the lists to deceive the public.
1887. Field, May 29. In the phraseology of slangy turfites, the horse was a cock; i.e., it had been liberally backed, but was never intended to run.
- The Sunday men, as they are facetiously
called in the fashionable world, are not now so numerous as formerly; the facility of a trip across the channel enables many a shy cock to evade the eye . . . of the law.
