Also 4 coke. [f. COCK sb.2] trans. (and absol.) To put up (hay, etc.) in cocks.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VI. 13. Canstow … coke [v.r. coken] for my cokers [v.r. cokares, cokerus] oþer to þe cart picche? Ibid., XXII. 238. And somme he tauhte to tulye, to theche and to coke.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 118. Take heede to the weather, the wind and the skie, if danger approcheth, then cock apace crie.
1624. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons, Introd. 57. To Gardner (and 10 others) 4 daies moying and one daie cocking brakes.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 353. They bind and cock it [barley] as they doe Wheat and Rye.
1767. A. Young, Farmer’s Lett. People, 214. Mowing, making, and cocking ten acres of grass into hay.
1834. Brit. Husb., I. 495. It does not rake the grass into rows, nor cock it.
b. dial. cf. COCKER sb.3
1882. Lancashire Gloss. (E. D. S.), Quock, Quoke, to go a-shearing or harvesting from home.
Hence Cocked ppl. a., Cocking vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Nov., 12. Or summer shade vnder the cocked haye.
1659. Hammond, On Ps., Wks. 1684, IV. 120. The toyle of the harvest, in reaping, binding, cocking.
1807. R. W. Dickson, Pract. Agric., II. 455. Grass should … be protected against rain and dew by cocking.
1874. Knight, Dict. Mech., I. 582/2. A cocking-machine gathers hay from the swath or windrow and puts it in cock.
