[f. COCK v.2 + -ING1.] The action of drawing back the cock of a fire-arm.
1816. Byron, Lett. to Murray, 15 Oct. Making mistakes in the way of cocking and priming.
1881. Greener, Gun, 202. The cocking is effected by the turning up of the finger-piece for loading.
b. attrib. and Comb., as cocking-lever, -lock; cocking-pistol, revolver, one in which the cock is raised independently of the trigger.
1858. Greener, Gunnery, 423. Possessing every requisite for a double-action cocking revolver. Ibid., 426. The cocking pistol would be too slow…. The almost general adoption, in the present day, of the cocking-lock. Ibid. (1881), Gun, 335. The barrels upon being closed depress the cocking-lever.
Cocking vbl. sb.3 Carp.: see COCK v.3
Cocking vbl. sb.4 and ppl. a. Putting (hay, etc.) into cocks: see COCK v.4
† Cocking vbl. sb.5 and ppl. a. Obs. Cockering: see COCK v.5
