Chiefly Sc. Forms: 5 couss, 5–6 cose, 6 cois(s, coce, coase, 6, 9 coss. [Of uncertain derivation and history. Cf. (old and dial.) F. cosson a re-seller, one who buys and sells over again (Godefroy) = It. cozzone ‘a horse-courser’ (Florio):—L. cōciōnem a broker.
But of these words the -on- is an integral part; hence the derived vb. is in L. cōciōnārī, It. cozzonare, and this would not naturally become coss in English. There is also the difficult question of the relation of coss to CORSE v. and to SCORCE v., in the same sense, as to which see the latter.]
trans. To barter, exchange. Also absol.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, X. 470. Bruce said: Fer ma on this day we haiff losyt. Wallace ansuerd: Allace, thai war ewill cosyt [v.r. coist].
14[?]. Lyarde, in Rel. Ant., II. 281. Coussid awaye at Appilby faire, As wyfis makis bargans, a horse for a mare.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, IX. v. 188. The traste Alethys With hym hes helmys cossyt [v.r. cosit; Virgil IX. 307 galeam permutat], and gaue him his.
1570. Regent’s Trag., ii. in Sempill Ballates, 70. Steilling vp ane close, Possest in purpois, lyfe for lyfe to cose.
1573. Davidson, Comm. Vprichtnes, xlvi. (Jam.). Let not the lufe of this lyfe temporall … Stay you to cois with lyfe celestial.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 1268. To Cope, or coase, cambire.
1808. Jamieson, Coss, to exchange. Loth., Berwicks.
Hence Cossing († cosing) vbl. sb.
1597. Montgomerie, Cherrie & Slae, 795. Sic coissing but loissing All honest men may vse.
1597. Skene, De Verb. Sign., s.v. Bote, In all excambion, or cossing of landes.
1617. Markham, Caval., II. 136. The mystery of Horse-cosing.
Coss, obs. f. KISS sb., COS.
