cock

/kɑk/
verb
  1. To tilt or turn something, especially one's head, to one side.
    • He cocked an eyebrow in surprise.
    • She cocked her head to listen more carefully.
    • The dog cocked its ears at the strange noise.
  2. To set the hammer of a gun into firing position.
    • The hunter cocked his rifle before aiming at the target.
    • He forgot to cock the gun, so it didn't fire.
    • She cocked the pistol and held it steady.
Synonyms
noun
  1. An adult male chicken (rooster).
    • The cock crowed at dawn, waking everyone on the farm.
    • We saw a colorful cock strutting around the barnyard.
    • The farmer keeps one cock with a dozen hens.
  2. A male bird of any species.
    • The cock pheasant has bright feathers to attract a mate.
    • During spring, the cock cardinal defends its territory.
    • A cock robin perched on the fence and sang.
  3. A device that controls the flow of liquid or gas, such as a tap or valve.
    • The plumber replaced the old cock on the garden hose.
    • Make sure the gas cock is closed before leaving the house.
    • Turn the cock on the sink to get hot water.
  4. The hammer of a gun, or the position of being ready to fire.
    • The gun was at half cock, so it wouldn't fire accidentally.
    • He pulled back the cock of the rifle before aiming.
    • She clicked the cock into place and prepared to shoot.
Synonyms
Antonyms
What does "cock" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean