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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Weddircok, Widdercok, Woddercok, Wether cock, n. Also: weddercok, -cock, widdercock, widdir-, widdyr-, viddercok, woddercock, wethercocke, wather cock, weather cock. [ME and e.m.E. wedercoc (Ayenbite), wedercok (Chaucer), wether-cocke (Shakespeare), weathercocke (1589).] A weathercock. Also fig.(a) 1502 Treas. Acc. II 67.
For ane weddircok to the Frere Kyrk of Strivelin 1511 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 103.
Upputting of the weddircok of the said prik 1574 Three Reformers 116.
Ay turning with the wedder-cock a1578 Pitsc. II 193/23.
Ane gret tempest of wind … blew downe the taill of the weddercock of Sanct Geillis Kirk 1629 Linlithgow B. Rec. 10 April.
Tenn pundis for wpputting of the weddercok on the steipill heid(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 567.
Thay ar sad as widdercok in wind c1570 Chron. Fortirgall 145.
Widdyrcok a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 429.
Of unconstant persons … He is like a widder cock 15.. Bk. Dean Lismore 94.
Viddercok a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii 39.
Wavers lyk the widdircok in wind(c) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 368.
Cheangyng als oft as woddercok in wynd 1535 Stewart 40210.
My mynd als lycht is euirmoir on flocht As woddercok 1629 Linlithgow B. Rec. 8 May.
For downe taking the woddercock for cullouring the samein(d) a1500 Sir Eger 1196.
The wether-cock stood fair and sheen a1570-86 Arbuthnot in Maitl. F. 54/166.
Weddercok 1594 Cal. Sc. P. XI 510.
[The state is] resembled to be lyke the wethercocke 1633 Lithgow Poet. Remains 91.
Like the weather-cock, from airt to airts, Their locall grounds are changd from pairt to pairts 1665 Glasgow B. Rec. III 491.
Wather-cock 1699 Boharm Kirk S. 10 April.
John Symon, smith … for making the weather cock on the bellhousefig. 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 74.
Some call the bishops weather cocks, Who where their heads were, turn their docks