Obs. [? f. COCK1 22 + MATE.] A ‘chief friend,’ familiar, intimate.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 60. Euphues was … suspecting that which in deede was true, that Philautus was corriuall with him, and cocke-mate with Lucilla. Ibid., 145. Children … must be curteous in their behauiour, lowly in their speach, not disdayning their cockmates or refraining their company. Ibid., 146. Whether that those are to bee admytted as cockemates with children whiche loue them entirely, or whether they be to be banished from them.
