Obs. [f. COCK v.1 + -ING2.]
1. Fighting, wrangling, contentious.
1556. J. Heywood, Spider & F., xliii. 20. In cockyng currish countenance.
1608. Day, Hum. out of Br., V. ii. G 4 b. How can wee choose but get cocking children, when father and mother too are both of the game.
2. Strutting, swaggering, insolent; cocky.
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, V. i. (1678), 71. How many pert Cocking Cowards, [hast thou call’d] stout?
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 153, ¶ 1. The Cocking young Fellow who treads upon the Toes of his Elders. Ibid. (1712), Ibid., No. 350, ¶ 2. This is visible in all the cocking Youths you see about this Town.
Hence † Cockingly adv., in a cocking manner.
1548. Thomas, Ital. Gram. & Dict. (1567), Prouerbiosamente, cockyngly or villainously.
