subs. (old colloquial).—1. See quots. 1581, 1584–7, 1590, and 1610; and (2), a hen-pecked hushand. (COLES: ‘uxorius, uxori nimium deditus et obnoxius.’)
1563. Appius and Virginia [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, iv. 118]. As stout as a stockfish, as meek as a MEACOCK.
1581. J. LYLY, Euphues, 109. I shall be compted a MECOCKE, a milksop.
1584–7. GREENE, The Carde of Fancie [GROSART (1881–6), iv. 47]. Shall I then … proue such a MEACOCKE, or a milkesoppe.
1590. R. TARLTON, Newes out of Purgatorie (HALLIWELL), 92. Shee found fault with him, because he was a MEACOCKE and a milkesoppe.
1593. NASHE, Strange Neues [GROSART (1885), ii. 245]. Meere MEACOCKS and ciphars in comparison of thy excellent out-cast selfe.
1593. G. HARVEY, Pierce’s Supererogation [GROSART (1884), ii. 49]. Martin himselfe but a MEACOCKE: and Papp-hatchet himselfe but a milkesop.
1603. DEKKER, The Batchelars Banquet [GROSART (1886), i. 274]. The poore MEACOCK … hauing his courage thus quailed, wil neuer afterwards fal at ods with her.
1610. Mirror for Magistrates, 418. A MEACOCK is he who dreadth to see bloud shed.
1619. FLETCHER, The Wild-Goose Chase, v. 2.
| La Cast. Fools and MEACOCKS, | |
| To endure what you think fit to put upon ’em. |
1635. GLAPTHORNE, The Hollander [PEARSON (1874), i. 98]. They are like my husband, meere MEACOCKS, verily: and cannot lawfully beget a childe once in seaven yeares.
Adj. (old colloquial).—Cowardly.
1593. SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, ii. 1. 315.
| ’Tis a world to see | |
| How tame, when men and women are alone, | |
| A MEACOCK wretch can make the curstest shrew. |
1593. G. HARVEY, Pierce’s Supererogation [GROSART (1885), ii. 17]. The MEACOCK verse that dares not sing.
