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# cock

noun (a cock, cocks); verb (cock, cocks, cocked, cocking)

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

## Everyday

1. A cock is an adult male chicken (a rooster); also the male of some other birds. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#m1)
2. To cock your head or ear is to tilt it or lift it, often to listen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#m2)
3. To cock a gun is to get it ready to fire. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#m3)
4. (rude) A slang word for a man's private part; also a rude insult. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#m4)
5. (UK, informal, old) A friendly word: «All right, cock?» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#m5)
6. A cock can also be a weathervane: a metal rooster on a roof that turns to show which way the wind blows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#m6)

### In the lessons

In farm stories and fables (the cock crowed at dawn), the Bible (the cock crowed when Peter denied Jesus), dog behaviour (cocked its head); the rude sense is heard in rough talk and should not be used at school.

### Examples

- The cock crowed at sunrise. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#x1)
- The dog cocked its head when I whistled. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#x2)
- Before the cock crows, Peter will deny Jesus, the Bible says. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#x3)
- The hens and the cock live in the back garden. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#x4)
- He cocked an ear to listen at the door. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#x5)
- (rude) The older boys called him a cock, and the teacher stepped in. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/#x6)

### Note

Many people prefer «rooster» (US) or «cockerel» (UK, a young cock) to avoid the rude sense. Words like cockpit, cockroach, cocktail, peacock are fine. Phrase «cock-a-doodle-doo» is the rooster's sound.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «cock» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/cock/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«cock» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cock.html) on Mova free.