"cock, male of the domestic hen," 1772, agent noun from roost (v.); earlier roost cock, c. 1600, in sense of "the roosting bird." Said to have become favored in the U.S. (it was noted by 1836 as a Yankeeism) and said to have been originally a puritan alternative to cock (n.) after that word had acquired the secondary sense "penis" (and compare roach).
"clasp, button, etc. used to secure the cock of a hat," hence "any knot or badge worn on a hat," especially as a sign of political adherence, 1709, earlier cockard (1650s), from French cocarde (16c.), fem. of cocard (Old French cocart) "foolishly proud, cocky," as a noun, "idiot, fool;" an allusive extension from coq (see cock (n.1)).
mid-15c., cokfytyng, match or contest between cocks (see cock (n.1)). Cock-fight (n.) is from 1560s.
name given to various birds of the parrot family, 1610s, from Dutch kaketoe, from Malay (Austronesian) kakatua, possibly echoic, or from kakak "elder brother or sister" + tua "old." Also cockatiel, cockateel (1863), from Dutch diminutive kaketielje (1850), which is perhaps influenced by Portuguese. Spelling influenced by cock (n.1).
"amorous, flirtatious person, one who seeks to be romantically attractive out of vanity," 1690s, originally of both sexes (as it was in French), from French coquet "a beau," literally "a little cock" (17c.), diminutive of coq "cock" (see cock (n.1)). A figurative reference to its strut or its lust. The distinction from fem. coquette began c. 1700, and use of the earlier word in reference to males has since faded. As a verb, "to act the lover," from 1701. Related: Coqueting.
surname, from early 16c., earlier Cocks (c. 1300), in many cases from cock (n.1), which apparently was used as a personal name in Old English, also a familiar term for a boy, later used of apprentices, servants, etc. Perhaps in some cases for the sign of an inn, and in some cases perhaps from cook (n.), or Welsh coch "red."
1660s, "lure with flattery and fondling," also in early use "treat endearingly" (1580s); "make a fool of, impose upon" (1670s), probably derived from slang phrases such as make a coax of, from noun coax, cox, cokes "a fool, ninny, simpleton" (1560s), which is of obscure origin, perhaps related to cock (n.1) in some sense. OED speculates that the verb was in vulgar use long before it appeared in writing, thus the order of appearance of the senses is not that of the sense development. Meaning "to manage or guide carefully" is from 1841. Related: Coaxed; coaxing.
colloquial for "signature," 1903 (sometimes, through some unexplainable error, John Henry), from the Boston merchant and rebel (1736-1793), signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The extended sense is from his signing that dangerous document first or most flamboyantly.
John Hancock, president of Congress, was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence, writing his name in large, plain letters, and saying: "There; John Bull can read my name without spectacles. Now let him double the price on my head, for this is my defiance." [Hélène Adeline Guerber, "The Story of the Thirteen Colonies," New York, 1898]
The family name is attested from 1276 in Yorkshire, a diminutive (see cock (n.1)) of Hann, a very common given name in 13c. Yorkshire as a pet form of Henry or John.
