Obs. exc. dial. Also 4 coke-, 5–6 cok-, (5 cokerbell). [perh. f. F. coque shell + BELL. Cf. COCK sb.4, and the nursery combination of ‘cockle-shells and silver bells.’ Sense 3 is perhaps a distinct word.]
† 1. A small bell. Obs.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 219. Eueriche of þilke ymages bare … a cokebelle [1485 Caxton, cokerbell] of siluer [Higden nolam argenteam] i-honged aboute his nekke.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 86. Cok belle, nola, campanella, bulla.
1532. More, Confut. Tindale, Wks. 366/2. Take them then as yonger brethren litle babes vntaughte, and geue them … ratilles and cokbelles and gay golden shone.
† 2. A spring wild-flower, frequented by bees.
1609. C. Butler, Fem. Mon., vi. (1623), O iij. In Taurus, Slow-tree, Plum-tree, Goosebery … Cherry, Pear, Cock bell, which is a Wood-flowre.
3. An icicle. Usually in pl. (Also cog-bell, cockabell, cocklebell, conkabell.)
1645. Bargrave MS. Diary, in Kentish Dial. (E. D. S.), My breath turned into many cock-bells as I walked.
1735. Pegge, Kenticisms, Cock-bells,… icicles.
1736. J. Lewis, Hist. Thanet, Gloss., Cog-bells, icecicles, ice-candles.
1746. Gentl. Mag., XVI. 406. Conkabell, an icicle, in the Som. dialect clinkabell.
1880. E. Cornw. Gloss. (E. D. S.), Cockabell, cocklebell, icicle.
1887. Parish & Shaw, Kentish Dial., There are some large cog-bells hanging from the thatch.
