slang (orig. Thieves’ cant). Forms: 6–7 cofe, 6 coff, 7– cove. [The early variant cofe has suggested that this is identical with Sc. COFE sb., ‘chapman, pedlar,’ the sense having undergone the same transition as in CHAP, which is now nearly equivalent in meaning, save that cove belongs to a lower and more slangy stratum of speech. But the phonetic change of f to v, at so late a date, is not usual; and the origin of the word still remains obscure. Cf. also CO sb.2] A fellow, ‘chap,’ ‘customer’; sometimes = BOSS sb.6 (see quots. 1812, 1891).
1567. Harman, Caveat, 84. A gentry cofe, a noble or gentleman. Ibid., 86. What, stowe you, bene cofe … What, holde your peace, good fellowe.
1608. Dekker, Lanth. & Candle-lt. The word Coue, or Cofe, or Cuffin, signifies a Man, a Fellow, &c. … a good fellow is a Bene Cofe.
1621. B. Jonson, Gipsies Metamorph., Wks. (Rtldg.), 619/2. There’s a gentry cove here, Is the top of the shire.
a. 1700. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Cofe, c. as Cove.
1737. in Logan, Pedlar’s Pack (1869), 147. Now my Kinchin Cove is gone.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v., The master of a house or shop is called the Cove...; when joined to particular words, as a cross-cove, a flash-cove, a leary-cove, &c., it simply implies a man of those several descriptions.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, x. That old cove at the book-stall.
1891. N. Gould, Double Event, 115. I’m not in the habit of being called a cove.
1892. Lentzner, Australian Word-bk., Cove, master, or overseer, of an Australian station.
