2. The enlarged end of a section of pipe which receives the
spigot end of the next section.
2. The hammer in the lock of a firearm.
{At cock}, {At full cock}, with the hammer raised and ready
to fire; -- said of firearms, also, jocularly, of one
prepared for instant action.
{At half cock}. See under {Half}.
{Cock feather} (Archery), the feather of an arrow at right
angles to the direction of the cock or notch. --Nares.
2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.
Drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! --Shak.
3. A chief man; a leader or master. [Humorous]
Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left
us. --Addison.
4. The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning;
cockcrow. [Obs.]
He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock.
--Shak.
Note: Jonsons says, ``The handly probably had a cock on the
top; things that were contrived to turn seem anciently
to have had that form, whatever was the reason.''
Skinner says, because it used to be constructed in
forma crit[ae] galli, i.e., in the form of a cock's
comb.
6. The style of gnomon of a dial. --Chambers.
7. The indicator of a balance. --Johnson.
8. The bridge piece which affords a bearing for the pivot of
a balance in a clock or watch. --Knight.
{Ball cock}. See under {Ball}.
{Chaparral cock}. See under {Chaparral}.
{Cock and bull story}, {an extravagant}, boastful story; a
canard.
{Cock of the plains} (Zo["o]l.) See {Sage cock}.
{Cock of the rock} (Zo["o]l.), a South American bird
({Rupicola aurantia}) having a beautiful crest.
{Cock of the walk}, a chief or master; the hero of the hour;
one who has overcrowed, or got the better of, rivals or
competitors.
{Cock of the woods}. See {Capercailzie}.
Our Lightfoot barks, and cocks his ears. --Gay.
Dick would cock his nose in scorn. --Swift.
2. To shape, as a hat, by turning up the brim.
3. To set on one side in a pert or jaunty manner.
They cocked their hats in each other's faces.
--Macaulay.
4. To turn (the eye) obliquely and partially close its lid,
as an expression of derision or insinuation.
{Cocked hat}.
(a) A hat with large, stiff flaps turned up to a peaked
crown, thus making its form triangular; -- called also
{three-cornered hat}
Cocked, fired, and missed his man. --Byron.
Under the cocked hay. --Spenser.
Yond tall anchoring bark [appears] Diminished to her
cock; her cock, a buoy Almost too small for sight.
--Shak.