[f. COCK v.2 + -ED1.]
1. † a. Of a match: Placed in the cock. b. Of a fire-arm: With the cock drawn back, ready for firing when the trigger is pulled.
1650. Howell, Masaniello, I. 27. Furnished Swords, cock’d Muschets.
1678. trans. Gaya’s Arms War, II. 46. Presenting the Pike, or Musket with a cock’d Match.
1733. Derby Mercury, II. No. 21. Getting through a Hedge with his Piece cock’d.
1807–8. Syd. Smith, Plymley’s Lett., Wks. 1859, II. 168/1. To sleep every night with cocked pistols under their pillows.
1819. Byron, Juan, I. cl. With sword drawn and cock’d trigger.
2. Full-cocked, half-cocked: at full or half cock (see COCK sb.1 13 b). In slang (Australian) use, half-cocked = partially intoxicated.
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb. (1849), 206. The burghers gazed … as a wary housewife does at a gun, fearful it may go off half-cocked.
1888. F. Hume, Mad. Midas, I. vii. 54. This last drink reduced Mr. Villiers to that mixed state which is known in colonial phrase as half-cocked.
Cocked ppl. a.3 Put up in cocks, as hay: see under COCK v.3
Cocked, var. of COCKET a. Obs.
