cock

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cock 1 male domestic fowl OE.; male bird XIV; in various transf. applications, the earliest (XV) being ‘spout, tap’ paralleled by G. hahn cock; the latter, like Du. haan, is also used, as cock is (XVI), for the discharging mechanism of firearms. OE. cocc, kok = ON. kokkr, prob. f. medL. coccus, of imit. orig.; reinforced in ME. by (O)F. coq. The native Gmc. word is repr. by OE. hana (see HEN).
Hence cock vb. set or stick up (assertively) XVII; prob. from the attitude of fighting-cocks; whence a new sb. upward turn. XVIII.

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