n. 1. A game in which trinkets are set upon sticks, to be thrown at by the players; -- so called from an ancient popular sport which consisted in “shying” or throwing cudgels at live cocks. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An object at which stones are flung. [ 1913 Webster ]

“Making a cockshy of him, ” replied the hideous small boy. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 1st cock, n. + comb crest. ] 1. See Coxcomb. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A plant (Celosia cristata), of many varieties, cultivated for its broad, fantastic spikes of brilliant flowers; -- sometimes called garden cockscomb. Also the Pedicularis, or lousewort, the Rhinanthus Crista-galli, and the Onobrychis Crista-galli. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A leguminous herb (Onobrychis Caput-galli), having small spiny-crested pods. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A kind of net to catch woodcock. [ Obs. ] Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cockshut time or
Cockshut light, evening twilight; nightfall; -- so called in allusion to the tome at which the cockshut used to be spread. [ Obs. ] Shak. B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A variety of Cratægus, or hawthorn (Cratægus Crus-galli), having long, straight thorns; -- called also Cockspur thorn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a worthless or despicable person; -- intended as disparaging and invariably offensive. [ vulgar slang ]
Syn. -- rotter, rat, skunk, stinker, bum, crumb, lowlife, scum bag, motherfucker, mother. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. a person who performs fellatio. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. 1. Perfectly safe. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

We steal as in a castle, cocksure: . . . we walk invisible. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Quite certain. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I thought myself cocksure of the horse which he readily promised me. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. overconfident; -- of people; as, the team was so cocksure of winning that they didn't practice in the week before the big game.. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cock a boat + swain; hence, the master of a boat. ] The steersman of a boat; a petty officer who has charge of a boat and its crew. [ 1913 Webster ]