[a. F. coquete-r (il coquette), f. coquet; see COQUET a. and sb.1 The dictionaries have the present tense as coquet, which seems to be the spelling of all the earlier quots.; but some modern writers spell it coquette, like the sb.]
1. intr. ‘To act the lover’ (J.); to practise coquetry, to flirt with. (Formerly used of both sexes, now only of a woman.) † To coquet it: to play the coquette.
1701. Farquhar, Sir H. Wildair, III. i. See how they cocquet it! Oh! there’s a look! there’s a simper! there’s a squeeze for you!
1713. Swift, Cadenus & V. Phillis … I saw coquetting … with that odious knight.
1742. Fielding, J. Andrews, IV. ix. He then … turned about to coquet it with Fanny.
1792. Mary Wollstonecr., Rights Wom., v. 180. At the age of ten or eleven … girls began to coquet.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), XVIII. viii. 148. Another courtly Charmer, hypocritically modest, coquettes under the tatters of a Gipsy.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chapl. of Fleet, II. 167. I could not coquet with other men.
fig. 1839. Longf., Hyperion, I. vi. How the wanton, treacherous air coquets with the old greybeard trees.
1859. Kingsley, Misc. (1860), II. 254. Those fantastic clouds which are coquetting with your thrones.
† 2. trans. ‘To treat with an appearance of amorous tenderness’ (J.); to flirt with. Obs.
1725. Swift, Lett., 26 Nov. You coquetting a maid of honour. Ibid. (1729), Grand Question Debated, 167. He caught me one morning coquetting his wife.
1773. Goldsm., Stoops to Conq., II. Wks. (Globe), 656/2. Stage-direction, She follows, coquetting him to the back scene. Ibid., Epil., Wks. 1806, II. 445. Talks loud, coquets the guests, and scolds the waiters.
3. intr. (transf.) To dally, trifle or toy with (a matter or proposal).
1780. Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, June. Miss W—— begged her to sing us a French song. She coquetted, but Mrs. Riggs … insisted upon her obedience.
1796. Ld. Fitzwilliam, in Burke’s Corr. (1844), IV. 357. He made war to gain a duke, and he coquetted with peace to retain a county member.
1814. Sir R. Wilson, Priv. Diary, II. 299. We have lost precious time in coquetting about his recognition, if we are to acknowledge him king at the last.
1834. Medwin, Angler in Wales, II. 155. I was at last coquetted with to retire from the service.
1878. Lecky, Eng. in 18th C., II. ix. Lady Townshend for a time coquetted with Methodism as with Popery.
4. To play with (a horse), by pretending to let him have his way.
1863. Thornbury, True as Steel, I. 150. Robert, who, maintaining a perfect seat, coquetted with his fiery chestnut horse, to the delight of the multitude.
Hence Coquetting vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills, II. 241. Pox on Town Cheatings, Jilts and Coquettings.
1795. Burke, Th. Scarcity, Wks. VII. 396. To take advantage of the fortunate fugitive moment in this coquetting climate of ours.
1861. T. A. Trollope, La Beata, II. xiv. 110. There was a long coquetting consultation about how it should be worn.
1891. R. Zimmermann, in Athenæum, 4 July, 20/3. An exclusive section of society, enfeebled by refined sensuality and absurd coquetting with culture.
