a. (adv.) [According to the regular force of similar formations, e.g., stone-deaf, clay-cold, dog-sick, dirt-cheap, coal-black, etc., the sense ought to be ‘as sure as a cock.’ The conjecture that there is some allusion to cockish, cocky, with reference to ‘pert self-confidence,’ being founded upon the latest sense, which is only a modern development, is not historically tenable. The word was originally perfectly dignified, and habitually used in the most solemn connections. And, in early use, the sureness in question was objective, i.e., ‘as secure, safe, certain, trustworthy, reliable, etc., as can be’: this makes it possible that the original reference may have been to the security or certainty of the action of a cock or tap in preventing the escape of liquor, or perhaps of a cock with a removable turning-key (if these go far enough back) in leaving the contents of a tun secure from interference.
The notion ‘as sure as a cock is to crow in the morning,’ has also been suggested. It might suit sense 2, but not sense 1.]
I. Of objective sureness, security or certainty.
† 1. Absolutely secure, or safe, from danger or interference. a. of persons or things. Obs.
1522. Skelton, Why nat to Court, 279. Whyle the red hat doth endure He maketh hymself cock sure.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1596), 660/2. Queene Margaret thought her then cockesure, when duke Humfrey was made away. Ibid. (1684), III. 273. Whoso dwelleth under that secret thing, and help of the Lord, shall be cock-sure for evermore.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., I. 23/2. The princes court would not haue beene kept there, vnlesse the place had beene taken to be cocksure.
1583. Stanyhurst, Æneis, I. (Arb.), 36. Thou seest al cocksure, thy fleete, thy companye salued.
1662. H. Foulis, Hist. Wicked Plots, 100. All such persons as shall be nominated by the Parliament, shall be cock-sure in their Authority.
† b. of measures, plans, arrangements. Obs.
1538. Latimer, Let. Cromwell, in Rem. (1845), 398. We … as good simple souls, made all cocksure. Ibid. (1549), Ploughers (Arb.), 32. When he [the Deuyll] had once broughte Christe to the crosse, he thought all cocke sure.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xxiv. (1632), 1154/2. The Canonist conceiuing that all was Cocke-sure, hasted to execute his Commission himselfe.
1670. Brooks, Wks. (1867), VI. 134. When they think that they have made all cock-sure, then ruin and desolation lies at their door.
† 2. Absolutely certain or to be depended on: a. as true, trustworthy, reliable.
c. 1555. Harpsfield, Divorce Hen. VIII. (1878), 169. When he cometh to the matter, he maketh it so cocksure that he esteemeth there be few articles of our faith which be approved by more authorities.
1591. Harington, Orl. Fur., XLIII. xxxi. 361 (R.).
| Not that of my deare wife, I ought misdeemed, | |
| For her of all the rest, I thought cock sure. |
1603. Harsnet, Pop. Impost., 49. An admirable new way to make the deuil true, and cock-sure of his word.
1637. Heywood, Royall King, I. Wks. 1874, VI. 15. And as I am true Cocke, so will I … be cocke sure in any imployment whatsoever.
b. as of certain issue, sure to be gained or obtained, sure to be ours though not yet possessed.
1548. Udall, Erasm. Par., Pref. 17 a. The same was a cocke-suer waie.
1580. North, Plutarch (1676), 441. Triarius … made haste to win the victory, as if it had been cock-sure before Lucullus came.
1667. Dryden & Dk. Newcastle, Sir M. Mar-all, IV. i. Nothing vexes me, but that I had made my game cock-sure, and then to be back-gammoned.
a. 1734. North, Exam., II. iv. § 17 (1740), 241. To make the Event cock sure.
1742. Jarvis, Quix., I. IV. xxxv. (1885), 204. My earldom is cock sure!
c. Of persons, etc.: Absolutely certain to (do something) or of (a possession yet in prospect):
After think, etc., this naturally introduces the subjective uses in 4: one who thinks himself (objectively) cocksure of a coming advantage, feels or, in modern use, is (subjectively) cocksure of it.
1520. Whitinton, Vulg. (1527), 19. I haue knowen a man or now that thought him selfe cocke sure of his entent.
1687. T. K., Veritas Evang., 89. They esteem themselves to be the Elect of God; and to be Cock-sure of Salvation?
1714–21. Pope, Let. Earl Burlington (1737), 19. I thought myself cocksure of his horse which he readily promised me.
1848. Clough, Bothie, 131. Confound it, no, not Hewson, Ain’t he cocksure to bring in his eternal political humbug?
II. Of subjective sureness.
† 3. Feeling perfectly secure, or out of danger (cf. 1). Obs.
a. 1667. Wither, Presumption. Through the great blessing of these quiet years, We are so fearless, careless and secure In this our happy peace, and so cock-sure.
4. Feeling perfectly certain, absolutely certain in one’s own mind of or about anything. (Without any implication of over-sureness or presumption.)
(Quot. 1603 is doubtful; it may belong to 2 c.)
[1603. Harsnet, Pop. Impost., 131. Therefor you may be cock-sure to finde him there.]
1672. Wycherley, Love in Wood, II. i. You are so positively cock-sure of your wit, you wou’d refer to a meer stranger your Plea to the Bay-tree.
1835. Marryat, Jac. Faithf., xiii. ‘I do believe that—I’m drunk.’ ‘And I’m cock sure of it,’ cried Tom.
1842. S. Lover, Handy Andy, vi. 63. ‘Are you sure?’ said his mother.
‘Cock sure!’ said Andy.
1870–. in Gloss. Berkshire, Cheshire, Holderness, etc., Cock-sure, perfectly certain, positive.
5. Feeling or expressing oneself sure to a degree that savors of presumption or dogmatism; dogmatically self-confident; ‘cocky’ in one’s confidence.
1755. [Johnson’s only meaning is ‘Confidently certain; without fear or diffidence. A word of contempt.’ Although none of his quotations bear out this character, it is evident that the modern sense must have been coming in then.]
a. 1845. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Aunt Fanny. Don’t be too secure! Let seeming success never make you ‘Cock-sure’!
1859. Darwin, in Life & Lett. (1887), II. 224. That I have written in a conceited and cocksure style.
1861. Times, 23 Aug., 10/2. He [Mr. Buckle] has fallen head over heels into the most abominable pitfall ever invented by a philosopher for the discomfiture of a cocksure historian.
1889. Spectator, Nov. 30, 755/2. Lord Cowper says: ‘It was Lord Melbourne, and not Sydney Smith, who said, “I wish I was as cock-sure of anything as Tom Macaulay is cock-sure of everything.”’
B. as adv. With perfect security or certainty.
1579. Fulke, Heskins’ Parl., 385. Hee is cocke sure of M. Heskins side.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. i. 94. We steale as in a Castle, cocksure.
1621. Sanderson, Serm. Rom. iii. 8, Wks. 1854, II. 47. Let them believe, it is no matter how they live, heaven is their own cock-sure.
1672. Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.), Rehearsal (1714), 44. Phoo, Pox! then you have it cock sure.
Hence † Cock-sure v., to make cock-sure of. Cocksuredom, the state or habit of arrogant confidence in one’s opinion. Cocksureism = COCKSURENESS. Cock-surely adv., in a cock-sure manner. Cock-surety = COCKSURENESS.
1685. F. Spence, House of Medici, 263. They Cock-sur’d him of a Cap at the first Promotion.
1883. Spectator, 5 May, 581/2. This critical cocksuredom would seem to be greatly on the increase.
1889. Parnell, in Daily News, 20 Dec., 6/3. As Mr. Healy once said that magnificent cocksureism which they [Englishmen] always exhibit when they are dealing with questions of which they have absolutely no knowledge whatever.
1887. Scot. Leader, 17 Aug., 4. The bulk of the London press has been cock-surely wrong.
1887. Sat. Rev., 8 Jan., 49/1. Smug severity, self-sufficiency, cock-surety.
