cocker

noun

1. One who breeds gamecocks or engages in the sport of cockfighting.
2. (dated)One who hunts woodcocks.
3. (colloquial)A cocker spaniel, either of two breeds of dogs originally bred for hunting woodcocks.
4. A device that aids in cocking a crossbow.

   “You have your choice of two stock-mounted cocking aids: the Acudraw 50, an integral rope cocker, or the Acudraw crank-operated device.”

   “The down side is that they are hard to draw without special lever cockers.”

   “The standard default cocking mechanism is the rope cocker.”

5. A rustic high shoe; half-boot.
6. (obsolete)A quiver.
7. (UK, informal)Friend, mate.

   “I been to see 'im. Not pretty. Ward sister tell me 'e'll be alright but not for a while yet. Concussion. Bloody 'ell! Lucky 'e wasn't killed, lump of lead like that. Lucky for you too, cocker...”

   “He said, 'Not my cup of Darjeeling, cocker. I've been more intellectually challenged at a kiddies' swimming gala.'”

verb

1. To make a nestle-cock of; to indulge or pamper (particularly of children).

   “[…] shall a beardless boy, A cocker’d silken wanton, brave our fields […]?”

   “Cocker thy childe, and hee ſhall make thee afraid: play with him and he will bring thee to heauinesse.”

   “But if you was to ask your ma, she would tell you that poor folks can no ways afford to cocker themselves up as lying-in ladies do.”

name

1. A surname.
2. A river in Cumbria, England, which joins the Derwent at Cockermouth.
3. A short river in Lancashire, England, which flows into the Lune estuary.