Also 5 cok-, cog-, 6–7 cocke-. [f. COCK sb.3 + BOAT: in 15th c. occas. cogboote, according to the earlier association of cog and cock: see these words.]
A small ship’s-boat, esp. the small boat that is often towed behind a coasting vessel or ship going up or down river. Often used typically as the smallest or lightest of floating craft.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (1840), 152. A ship with a large seyl, And a cokboot that goth in Tempse lowe.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 86/1. Cogboote [1499 Pynson cok bote], scafa.
1530. Palsgr., 206/2. Cockebote to rowe with, cocquet.
1580. Lyly, Euphues, Ep. Ded. (Arb.), 218. The little Cock boat is safe, when it is hoised into a tall ship.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Acts xxvii. 16. We could scarse get the cock-boate.
1666. Lond. Gaz., No. 56/1. The Master and Company put to Land in their Cock-boat for assistance.
1755. H. Walpole, Corr. (ed. 3), III. 103. We take from Men-of-war and Domingo-Men, down to colliers and cock-boats.
1858. Kingsley, Poems, Watchman, 7. There’s water to float a little cock-boat.
1861. W. H. Russell, in Times, 23 Sept., 6/4. The finest of them all was but a cockboat compared with the Warrior.
fig. 1605. Bacon, Adv. Learn., I. iii. (1873), 23. Never caring … what becomes of the ship of estates, so they may save themselves in the cockboat of their own fortune.
1636. Featly, Clavis Myst., xiv. 190. Neere drowned the cocke-boate of his private fortune.
