(n): the male organ of copulation (`member' is a euphemism)
(n): faucet consisting of a rotating device for regulating flow of a liquid
(n): a regulator for controlling the flow of a liquid from a reservoir
(n): the part of a gunlock that strikes the percussion cap when the trigger is pulled
(n): the part of a mechanical device that strikes something
(n): adult male chicken
(n): a domestic fowl bred for flesh or eggs; believed to have been developed from the red jungle fowl
(n): adult male bird
(n): warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
(v): tilt or slant to one side
(v): heel over
(v): set the trigger of a firearm back for firing
(v): put into a certain place or abstract location
(v): to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others
(v): use one's feet to advance; advance by steps
I just got a memo at work that contains the following:
"Pull slightly on the cock to ensure you have the strength to operate that particular musket. The pull required varies between muskets and you should not take out a musket to shoot unless you can operate the cock easily and safely."
Wow.
I was responding to yarb's "how's she cutting" question about whether that part of the whole phrase could be nautical, but earlier I was asking whether "cock" were in this case a term of endearment. Yeesh, this is getting confusing. :-)
reesetee, are you talking about the "how's she cutting" part, or the "old cock" part?
I'm sure in this usage that "cock" is an endearment not unlike the terms yarb and sionnach mentioned as in use in Ireland. I'd also like to know what "how's she cutting" means though.
I could see it being nautical OR agricultural in origin. Hmm.
I've heard it used as a term of endearment in Ireland, though I think it would generally be preceded by an adjective, most likely 'old' or 'oul'.
As expected, Terence Patrick Dolan's ridonkulous "Dictionary of Hiberno-English" is of no help at all, disallowing the possibility that cock may be used as a noun.
I wouldn't be surprised if it were nautical, yarb, considering that it's used in Newfoundland. But after a bit of poking around, I found that it's also used in Ireland and that some suspect it's an old farming phrase. Anyone know for sure?
Yeah, that's what I took it to be. Similar to mate or pal. The etymology is beyond me but I'm certain it has nothing to do with male genitalia. That said, I've never heard it used by or to a woman (although Paula Stone proves things are different in Newfoundland).
'How's she cutting' - could that be of nautical origin?
Sounds like a term of endearment, no?
It's not that unusual to hear this usage in parts of the UK. I've known cockneys and scousers who've been liable to greet a man with "how are you, me old cock?" or "aye aye, cocker!"
Usage in Newfoundland English:
"I am hiking on the cliffside trail on Signal Hill -- the granite sentinel that watches over the city's harbor entrance -- when 60-mph gusts nearly lift me off my feet. I drop to the ground, wedging against boulders for security. Howling headwinds scour my face like sandpaper. Suddenly a jogger runs by. He is holding tightly onto his ballooning shorts, which have half flown off. He grins at me, "How's she cutting, me cock?" Excuse me?
Newfoundland English, as I am rapidly discovering, is a tongue-twisting, colorful blend of Irish and English dialects and sea-lore expressions. The language, which developed as a result of Newfoundland's history as one of Britain's first settlements in the New World as well as its geographical isolation, even boasts a dictionary of more than 700 pages..." --Paula Stone, "A Trip Off the Old Rock," Washington Post, Sunday, April 22, 2007; Page P01.
"...which I own, because I got it for Christmas." --chained_bear
I still don't know what "how's she cutting, me cock?" means, but someday I hope to find out.