An etymological dictionary of the Scottish language - Electric Scotland

coc [464] COC
COCK, s. A cap, a head-dress, S. B.
And we maun hae pearlins, and mabbies, and cocks,
And some ither things that the ladies call smocks.
The Mock, &c., Moss's Poems, p. 137.
COCK AND KEY, a stop-cock, S.
COCK AND PAIL, a spigot and faucet, S.
"They must have a large boiler, and a brass cock
at the bottom, to let out the lees." Maxwell's Sel.
Trans., p. 287.
"Let go that water by means of a spigget and
fosset, or cock and pail, as we call it in Scotland."
Ibid., p. 344.
COCK-A-BENDY,
s. 1. An instrument for
twisting ropes, consisting of a hollow piece of
wood held in the hand, through which a pin
runs. In consequence of this pin being
turned round, the
The thraw-crook is
is rope twisted, Ayrs.
of a different construction,
being formed of one only. V. BURREL.
piece
of wood
2. "
Expl. a sprightly boy," Dumfr.
* COCK-A-HOOP. The E. phrase is used
to denote a bumper, Fife. One, who is half
seas over, is also said to be cock-a-hoop, ibid. ;
which is nearly akin to the E. sense, "trium-
phant, exulting."
Spenser uses cock on hoop, which seems to determine
the origin ; q. the cock seated on the top of his roost.
COCKALAN,
s. 1. A comic or ludicrous
representation.
In an Act against skandalous speeches and lybels,
complaint is made of "sik malicious letts, as the
devill and his supposts do usually suggest, to the
hindrance of all just and godlie interpryses, specially
by the false and calumnious brutes, speeches and writs,
craftelie uttered and dispersed by some lawles and
saules people of this realme, aswell in privat conferences
as in their meetings at tavernes, ailhouses, and
playes, and their
by pasquils, lybels, rymes, cockalans,
comedies, and siklyke occasions whereby they slander,
maligne, and revile the people, estate and country of
England, and divers his Majesties honorable Counaellers,
Magistrats and worthie subjects of that his
Majesties kingdome." Acts Ja. VI., 1609, c. 9,
Murray.
The term is used by Etherege, as put into the mouth
of a foolish fellow, who in his language and manners
closely imitated the French.
"What a Coc a FAsne is this? I talk of women, and
thou answerest Tennis." Sir Topling Flutter.
2. Used to denote an imperfect writing.
"Excuse the rather cockaland then letter from him
who carethe not howe disformall his penn's expression
be to you, to whome he is a most faithfull servant."
Lett. Sir John Wishard, Mem. of Dr. Spottiswood,
p. 50.
An honourable and learned friend has favoured me
with the following remarks on the etymon, which are
certainly preferable to what is said in the DICT. :
"This word appears to be immediately copied from
the Fr. coq-a-Vane, which the Dictionary of the Academy
defines, Discours qui n'a point de suite, de liaison,
de raison ; corresponding nearly to the familiar
English phrase, a Cock and a Butt story.
"Cotgrave translates coq-d-Vane 'a libel, pasquin,
satyre," which corresponds exactly with the sense in
which it is used in the Act of Parliament quoted in
the Scottish Dictionary."
Teut. kokelen, histrionem agere, Kilian. Belgguychden,
Germ, gauclceln, E. juggle, id. Su.-G.
kockla, to deceive ; kockleri, magical arts, from the
same origin, which Wachter supposes to be Germ.
gauch, a fool, because a juggler
sonates a fool.
or mountebank per-
COCKALORUM-LIKE, adj. Foolish, absurd,
Ayrs.
"My lass, I'll let no grass grow beneath my feet, till
I hae gi'en your father notice of this loup-the-window
and hey cockalorum-like love." Entail, ii. 260.
Q. like, an alarum given by the cock.
COCKANDY, *. The Puffin, Alea arctica,
Linn. This name is retained on the Forth ;
Taminorie, Tomny-noddy, Orkn.; Bowger,
Hebrides.
' '
Cockandy, Avis palmipes Anseri magnitudine par
cinerei coloris." Sibb. Scot., p. 22.
The Puffin having different names, into the composition
of which the term cock enters, as Bass-cock, &c.
(V. WILLICK) ; this is perhaps q. cock-duck, from cock,
gallus, and Su.-G. and, Isl. aund, A.-S. ened, Alem.
enti, Germ, ente, anas ; and may have been originally
confined to the male. Thus Cock-paddle is the name
of the male Lump-fish; and Su.-G. anddrake, the male
of ducks, Germ, enterich, id. Wachter derives this
from ente, anas, and retch, dominus; and Ihre (vo. And)
observes, that in more ancient Gothic, Irak, trek, drak,
denote a man. Isl. aund forms the termination of the
names of several species of ducks ; as Beinaund,
Straumaund, Stokaund, Toppaund, Graffnaund, &c.
G. Andr., p. 12.
COCK-A-PENTIE, s. One whose pride
makes him live and act above his income,
Ayrs.
"As soon as thai cockapenties gat a wee swatch o'
thae parlavoo harrangs, they yokit the tanking to ane
anither like the gentles." Ed. Mag., Apr., 1821, p. 351.
COCKAWINIE, CACKAWYNNIE. To ride
cockawinie, to ride on the shoulders of another,
Dumfr.; synon. with Cockerdehoy, S.B.
COCK-BEAD-PLANE, s. A plane for
making a moulding which projects above the
common surface of the timber, S.
As bead denotes a moulding, S., the term cock may
refer to the projection or elevation.
COCK-BIRD-HIGHT, s. 1. Tallness equal
to that of a male chicken ; as, " It's a fell
thing for you to gie yoursel sic airs ; ye're
no cock-bird-hight yet," S.
2. Metaph. Transferred to elevation of spirits.
I fin' my spirits a' cou'd caper
Maist cock-bird hight.
Macaulay's Poems, p. 181.
The metaphor is not well chosen. Bauk-hight would
have been more expressive.
COCK-BREE,*. Cock-broth, Roxb. ;
leekie, synon.
Cockie