Obs. or dial. Forms: 1 cocer, cocur, 3 koker, 4 cokre, 4–6 coker, 5 cocur, cokyr, 6 cokar, (8–9 dial. cogger), 6– cocker. [A common WGer. sb.: with OE. cocer m. quiver, cf. OFris. koker, OS. cocâre m. (MDu. cōker, MLG., Du. kōker, LG. köker, käker, kaker), OHG. chohhar, chohhâri (MHG. kocher, kochǣre, Ger. köcher) all meaning ‘quiver, case.’ The ulterior derivation is obscure: med.L. cucurum, and med.Gr. κούκουρον, are, according to Diez, from German. See also QUIVER.]
1. A case for arrows; a quiver.
c. 825. Vesp. Psalter x. 2. Gearwadon strelas heara in cocere.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gen. xxvii. 3. Nim þin ʓesceot þinne cocur and þinne boʓan and gang ut.
c. 1205. Lay., 6470. Ene koker fulne flan.
2. A casing for the leg; applied, at various times, to a kind of legging, a high laced boot, or a combination of boot and legging, worn by husbandmen, hunters, fishers, etc., to protect the legs. The word is still used in the north for gaiters or leggings, and even for coarse stockings without feet used as gaiters (called in Scotland loags).
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., B. 40. With rent cokrez at þe kne & his clutte trasches.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. VII. 56. [Piers going out to sow] caste on his cloþes I-clouted and I-hole, His Cokeres and his Coffus.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., I. 1167. Bootes, cocurs, myttens … For husbondes & hunters.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 84. Cocur, boote, ocrea, coturnus.
1515. Barclay, Egloges, IV. (1570), C iv/1. Thy hose and cokers be broken at the knee.
1593. Drayton, Eclogues, IV. 177. His Cockers were of Cordiwin.
1681. Lond. Gaz., No. 1895/4. A pretty big chubbed Man … a pair of Leathern Cockers.
1695. Kennett, Par. Antiq., Gloss. s.v. Cock-boat, Fisher men’s great boots, with which they wade into the Sea are called Cokers.
1811. Willan, W. Riding Yorksh. Gloss., Coggers, half-boots made of stiff-leather, strong cloth, or even of worsted, buttoned at the side, and strapped under the shoe.
1873. Harland, Swaledale Gloss., Coggers, a pair of old stocking-legs worn over the shoes to keep out the snow.
