# cock

/ˈkɑk/ (US) · /kˈɒk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cock
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. male bird

noun · CEFR A2

an adult male chicken.

For teachers: an adult male of the domestic fowl; a rooster.

- The cock crowed loudly at dawn, waking everyone on the farm.
- The farmer kept one prize cock for breeding and several dozen hens for egg production.

### 3. part of a gun

noun · CEFR B2

the part of a gun that you pull back before firing.

For teachers: the hammer of a firearm mechanism that is drawn back to be released by the trigger.

- He pulled back the cock of the pistol and prepared to shoot.
- The antique revolver featured an ornate cock that required significant thumb pressure to set into the firing position.

### 4. penis

noun · CEFR C2 · Vulgar · Slang

a vulgar word for the penis.

For teachers: a vulgar slang term for the penis.

- The graffiti on the wall included several drawings of a cock.
- The comedian's set relied heavily on vulgar shock value, including frequent references to his own cock.

### 5. nonsense

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

something that is not true or is complete rubbish.

For teachers: a term for nonsense, falsehoods, or poor quality information.

- Don't listen to him; he's talking a load of cock.
- The witness's testimony was dismissed by the locals as absolute cock, given his history of exaggeration.

### 6. an annoying person

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang · Vulgar

a rude word for a man who is stupid or annoying.

For teachers: a derogatory term for a contemptible or obnoxious male.

- Stop acting like a cock and help us with the work.
- He was widely regarded as a bit of a cock by his colleagues due to his arrogant attitude during meetings.

### 7. to tilt or turn

verb · CEFR B2

to tilt something, like your head or a hat, to one side.

For teachers: to tilt or turn something, typically a part of the body or a hat, in a specific direction.

- The dog cocked its head when it heard the strange whistling sound.
- She cocked her eyebrow in disbelief as the salesman continued his unlikely pitch.

### 8. to prepare a gun

verb · CEFR B2

to pull back the hammer of a gun so it is ready to fire.

For teachers: to set the hammer of a firearm into a position ready for release by the trigger.

- You could hear the sound of the soldier cocking his rifle in the silence.
- The protagonist cocked his weapon with a metallic click that echoed through the empty hallway.

## Examples

- He is acting like a total cock.
- The graffiti on the wall featured a crude drawing of a cock and several swear words.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.