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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
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.

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.