Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1718-1936
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COCK, v.1 Meanings of Eng. cock not in Mod.Eng. usage. [kɔk]
I. tr.
1. To raise in a threatening manner (Cai.7, Abd.22, Ags.2, Fif.10 1936).Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 151:
Nor can she please him in his barlie mood, He cocks his hand and gi's his wife a thud.Fif. 1895 “G. Setoun” Sunshine and Haar 304:
Wha's he cockin' his nieve at?
†2. “To mount a culprit on the back of another, as of the janitor at schools, in order to his being flogged” (Sc. 1825 Jam.2).
†3. Used in oath: Deil cock him, devil take him. Perhaps from sense 2. above, with a general idea of punishment.Sc. after 1746 Geordie Sits in Charlie's Chair in Jacobite Relics (ed. Hogg 1821) II. 202:
Deil cock him gin he sit there, My bonnie laddie, Highland laddie.
4. Phrase: to cock one's wee finger, to drink, tipple. Gen.Sc. Cf. Eng. slang to crook the elbow, idem.Rnf. 1861 J. Barr Poems and Songs 107:
Some say that she cocks her wee finger, In short, that she's gien to the drink.
II. intr.
1. To revive; to pick up (after an illness, etc.) (Abd.2, Lnl.1 1936); ppl.adj. cockin, perky, jaunty. Obs. in Eng. Bnff.2 1936:
It hid been a fine shoorie throw the nicht, an' the plants wir a' cockin' bonnie.Bch. 1930 P. Giles in Abd. Univ. Review (March) 110:
Ay, Jocky lad, ye're cockin' ta the road.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller (1869) v.:
The wee cockin bailie ye liket sae weel, Wha aye was sae mensefu' wi' maut an' wi' meal.Ayr. 1865 J. Ramsay Woodnotes 201:
Wee, gleg, auld-farrant, cockin' birkie.
2. To drink. (Prob. a shortened form of the phr. cock one's wee finger; see 4 above.) Ppl.adj. cockin' (Ags.1 1936).Sc. 1718 Ramsay Chr. Kirk iii. xiv. in Poems (1721):
The Souter, Miller, Smith, and Dick, Et cet'ra, closs sat cockin.Ags. 1821 D. Shaw Humourous Songs and Poems 16:
There tailors an' weavers sat cockin', Wi masons an' souters an' a'.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller of Deanhaugh v.:
The wee cockin' bailie ye liket sae weel, Wha aye was sae mensefu' wi' maut an' wi' meal.
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"Cock v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Mar 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cock_v1>
