cocking

verb, present participle of cock

«cocking» in the English dictionary: Early Modern English — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

Early Modern English

Meaning

Lifting or holding something up, such as a tail, or turning one eye to look sideways at someone. tree →

Then and now

Today "cock" mostly means a male bird or the action of a gun. In these sentences it means lifting up a tail or turning the head, and the sentences use that old sense.

Examples

But do what they might, cats or poison, terrier or traps, there seemed to be more rats than ever, and every day a fresh rat was cocking his tail or pricking his whiskers. (More English Fairy Tales) tree →
On his return he strutted up to his mother with the peculiar little hop and kick which was his way of walking, and cocking his one eye at her in a very bold way he said: (The Green Fairy Book) tree →

Note

Today: lifting, raising, looking sideways.

On Mova

Trees and pragmatics of «cocking» in the Early Modern English dictionary: every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
«cocking» in the Early Modern English dictionary on Mova free.

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