cocksureadj.adv.

Brit.

/ˌkɒkˈʃɔː/,

/ˌkɒkˈʃʊə/, U.S.

/ˌkɑkˈʃʊ(ə)r/

Forms: see cock n.¹ and sure adj.

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: cock n.¹, sure adj.

Etymology: < cock n.¹ + sure adj.The word appears almost certain to be a similative compound in which the underlying meaning is ‘as sure as a cock’. However, it is uncertain which sense of cock n.¹ was originally intended. The usual modern meaning ( A. 4) suggests an obvious analogy with cockish adj. 1, and later coxy adj. and cocky adj. 2. However, this sense first appears late in the history of this word (and could indeed partly be due to association with cockish adj. 1). The earlier senses denote sureness that is positive or neutral (rather than arrogant or overconfident). The suggestion that the expression alluded originally to the certainty of a cock crowing in the morning would fit with sense A. 1 but not with the more or less contemporary sense A. 2. The original reference could perhaps have been not to the bird at all, but rather to the security or certainty of a cock or tap in preventing the escape of liquid (perhaps specifically drink), or even of a tap with a removable turning-key in leaving the contents of a barrel or other container secure from interference; this would explain sense A. 2, but A. 1 less well. Chronology rules out reference to the cocking mechanism of a firearm (cock n.¹ 17). The expression could perhaps even show cock n.⁶, although it is hard to discern an underlying metaphor if so (perhaps ‘as sure as faith or trust in God’); it is perhaps possible that the word shows a reduced form of an oath (meaning ‘by God, sure’, ‘sure to God’), and hence not a similative compound at all.

A. adj. Usually used predicatively; attributive use is only commonly found in sense A. 4.

†1.

a. Of a person: absolutely certain to do something, or of attaining a specified thing. Cf. sure adj. 10. Obsolete.Use with verbs expressing a person's own belief that something is an objective certainty, as in ‘to think oneself cocksure of something’ (see e.g. quots. 1520, 1687) naturally gave rise to sense A. 3, describing a person's subjective certainty that something is the case.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [adjective] > assured of possession

sickera1200

surec1330

firm1483

cocksure1520

safe1538

secure1605

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [adjective] > sure to be or do

surec1330

secure1770

cocksure1848

1520 R. Whittington Uulgaria sig. E.i I haue knowen a man or nowe y^t thoughte hymselfe cokke sure of his entente.

1603 W. Clark Replie Libell Father Parsons f. 65 The English Iesuits in Rome, appropriated certaine pallaces in London to themselues, to fall vnto their lots.., making themselues cocksure of their already deuoured pray.

1687 T. Kemeys Veritas Evangelica 89 They esteem themselves to be the Elect of God; and to be Cock-sure of Salvation.

1848 A. H. Clough Bothie of Toper-na-Fuosich i. 137 Confound it, no, not Hewson, Ain't he cocksure to bring in his eternal political humbug?

b. Of a plan, method, etc.: certain to succeed; admitting no possibility of failure, foolproof. Of a future event or an aim: certain to happen or be attained; guaranteed. Cf. sure adj. 11a, 12b. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [adjective]

strongeOE

fasteOE

sure1418

cocksure?a1534

in the bag1900

gold-plated1913

?a1534 H. Medwall Nature i. sig. ciii Sensualyte Begynnys a great rular to be And yf yt be so care not for me The mater ys cok sure.

1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Pref. 17 a The same was a cockesuer waie.

1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 570 Triarius..made hast to winne the victory, as if it had bene cocke sure before Lucullus came.

1697 D. Jones Tragical Hist. Stuarts 298 in Contin. Secret Hist. White-Hall Solacing themselves in this Bloody Expectation, and thinking all Cock-sure, one tender-hearted Murderer among the rest, writ a Letter to the Lord Monteagle.

a1739 C. Jarvis tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote (1742) I. iv. viii. 238 My earldom is cock-sure.

c. Absolutely dependable or reliable; completely trustworthy. Cf. sure adj. 5a. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > faithfulness or trustworthiness > [adjective]

soothfastc825

truefastOE

i-treowec1000

unfakenOE

trueOE

sickerc1100

trigc1175

strustya1250

steel to the (very) backa1300

true as steela1300

certainc1325

well-provedc1325

surec1330

traistc1330

tristc1330

trustya1350

faithfula1382

veryc1385

sada1387

discreet1387

trust1389

trothfulc1390

tristya1400

proveda1425

good-heartedc1425

well-trusted?a1439

tristfulc1440

authorizablea1475

faithworthy?1526

tentik1534

fidele1539

truthfulc1550

suresby1553

responsible1558

trestc1560

reliable1569

cocksurea1575

sound1581

trustful1582

truepenny1589

true (also good, sure) as touch1590

probable1596

confident1605

trustable1606

axiopistical1611

loyala1616

reposeful1627

confiding1645

fiducial1647

laudable1664

safe1667

accountable1683

serious1693

sponsible1721

dependable1730

unfailing1798

truthya1802

trustworthy1829

all right1841

stand-up1841

falsehood-free1850

right1856

proven1872

bankable1891

secure1954

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > reliability > [adjective]

sickerc1100

very1303

certainc1325

trustyc1390

soothfasta1400

surea1400

unfailingc1400

unfailablea1525

unfallible1529

infailable1561

reliable1569

cocksurea1575

faithful1611

infalliblea1616

well-proven1639

unfallida1641

indefailable1693

securea1729

pukka1776

a1575 N. Harpsfield Treat. Divorce Henry VIII (1878) (modernized text) 169 When he cometh to the matter, he maketh it so cocksure that he esteemeth there be few articles of our faith which be approved by more authorities.

1591 J. Harington tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso xliii. xxxi. 361 Not that my deare wife, I ought misdeemed, For her of all the rest, I thought cock sure.

1637 T. Heywood Royall King i. i. sig. B4^v And as I am true Cocke, so will I..be cocke sure in any imployment whatsoever.

†2.

a. Absolutely safe or protected; perfectly secure. Cf. sure adj. 1a. Obsolete.Indicating an actual state of safety or security, rather than (as in sense A. 2b) a subjective sense of this.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > safety > [adjective] > safe or secure

sickerc897

safec1325

surec1330

safea1393

sover1396

traistya1400

exempta1420

undangeredc1460

surec1475

cocksurea1529

sound1535

jeopardless1549

dangerless?1555

secure1572

secure1576

defensible1581

unobnoxious?1609

unendangereda1658

rug1705

anchored1878

a1529 J. Skelton Why come ye nat to Courte (?1545) sig. Avii^v Whyles the red hat doth endure He m[a]keth him selfe cock sure.

a1555 J. Bradford Let. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1570) III. 1822/2 Who so dwelleth vnder that secrete thing, and helpe of the Lord, he shalbe cocke sure for euer more.

1662 H. Foulis Hist. Wicked Plots ii. i. 100 All such persons as shall be nominated..shall be cock-sure in their Authority.

1760 Musical Misc. xxvi. 26 Then pointing to the Door, she said, Let's first make that secure, Then I and you Will kiss—or so, When every Thing's cock-sure.

b. Feeling perfectly secure; quite convinced that one is safe or protected. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > pleasure > freedom from trouble, care, or sorrow > [adjective]

sorrowlessOE

carelessa1000

restful1340

clearc1374

unsada1450

undiseased?c1450

unoffendedc1450

undistroubled1466

frank1477

unvexed1485

quiet1535

secure1545

griefless1552

trouble-void1559

woeless1568

undistressed1582

tearless1603

cocksure1613

undejected1613

undisquieted1627

uncareful1635

serene1640

indisconsolatea1645

trouble-free1648

catastematic1656

thoughtless1659

incruciated1661

easy1692

undepressed1697

unsufferinga1732

ungloomed1737

solute1742

unanxious1742

undarkened1742

unsighinga1743

comfortable1770

unharassed1796

unworried1818

gloomless1820

ungroaning1821

unpestered1824

ungrieving1837

troubleless1838

unsaddened?c1840

untrespassed1854

unannoyed1865

unfretted1870

fretless1878

worriless1889

stress-free1898

unstressed1927

the world > action or operation > safety > [adjective] > safe or secure > feeling secure

cocksure1613

1613 G. Wither Abuses Stript ii. iv. sig. S4^v Through the great blessing of these quiet yeares, We are so feare-lesse care-lesse and secure In this our happy peace and so cock-sure.

a1665 G. Starkey Expos. Six Gates v. 369 in Ripley Reviv'd (1678) Some hidden thing which thou oughtest to understand, which thou being Cock-sure at first blush wilt neglect; but yet it will bite thee by the heel when thou approachest.

3. Feeling completely certain, absolutely sure or convinced in one's own mind (of something, or that something is the case).This sense arose from uses of sense A. 1a (see note at that sense). This neutral use, without implication of overconfidence or arrogance, is now much less common than sense A. 4.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > [adjective]

sickerc1100

bolda1300

surec1330

trist1340

certain1362

traista1400

tresta1400

ensurec1430

suredc1450

absolute1483

firm1483

resolute1501

assured1523

satisfied1533

unperplexed1558

unblanked1570

resolved1577

secure1578

clear1604

constant1611

ungravelled1611

confidenta1616

definitea1616

fearless1634

decretory1651

positive1658

unbrangled1671

cocksure1672

convinced1685

reliant1702

unbewildereda1807

positivistic1893

hensure1929

tooting1932

1672 W. Wycherley Love in Wood ii. i You are so positively cock-sure of your wit, you wou'd refer to a mere stranger your plea to the Bay-tree.

1686 Dialogue Philiater & Momus 163 How come you to be so cock-sure, concerning hundreds of Patients, and hundreds of Physicians?

1834 F. Marryat Jacob Faithful I. xiii. 234 ‘I do believe that—I'm drunk.’ ‘And I'm cock sure of it,’ cried Tom.

1928 Santa Ana (Calif.) Reg. 19 Sept. 20/5 Do we know enough yet to be cocksure?

1988 Times of India 8 June 19 Only..when one is cocksure that the donor's blood is devoid of Australia Antigen it is [sic] issued for transfusion. Hence blood donors need not be anxious about it.

4. Excessively or arrogantly self-confident or self-assured; brashly or smugly overconfident. Cf. cocky adj. 2.Now the usual sense.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > pride > excessive self-confidence > [adjective]

over-trusty?c1225

assured1477

self-wise1573

confident1600

flush1604

crested1619

sufficienta1625

self-sufficient1628

self-confiding1647

self-trustinga1660

self-secure1679

self-assured1711

cocksure1842

secure1859

self-sufficing1874

ten feet tall1962

the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > extreme opinion, dogmatism > [adjective]

high?1535

Arctic1593

magistral1596

forward1608

confident1611

magisterial1635

pragmatic1638

high-flown1640

affirmative1650

thetical1653

positive1658

pragmatical1660

dogmatical1662

dogmatic1681

unargumentative1722

ultra1820

doctrinaire1834

cocksure1842

doctrinary1846

unevidential1853

Doctrinarian1878

pontificating1922

fundamentalist1928

hardcore1951

1705 J. Michelborne Ireland Preserv'd i. i. 11 'Tis well if the English Men do not make them stink above ground, for all they are so Cock-sure, and I my self hope to curb their Insolence.

1756 State-farce: a Lyrick 5 Thus at the Goose, a shrewd Court-Game, I've seen a cock-sure Up-start claim The joint-stock Pool, as his-'n.

1842 R. H. Barham Aunt Fanny in Ingoldsby Legends 2nd Ser. 149 Don't be too secure!—Let seeming success never make you ‘cock-sure’!

1861 Times 23 Aug. 10/2 Mr. Buckle..has fallen head over heels into the most abominable pitfall ever invented by a philosopher for the discomfiture of a cocksure historian.

1933 Pittsburgh Courier 28 Oct. i. 3/3 George Parsons arrived at 8 o'clock with flowers, a pint of Old Taylor, and a cocksure swagger.

2016 Globe & Mail (Canada) (Nexis) 13 Aug. f1 The world sees Americans as self-confident, even cocksure, but they have a self-doubting, self-critical side, too.

†B. adv.

For certain; most certainly. Also (in quot. 1598): with perfect safety; without risk. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > safety > [adverb] > safely or securely > with perfect security

cocksure1579

the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > [adverb]

trulyOE

boldlyc1175

sickerlyc1275

tristly1340

redelya1375

redilya1375

surelyc1380

tristilyc1380

certainc1384

faithfullyc1384

trustilyc1390

certainlya1400

trustlya1400

undoubtinglyc1400

absolutely?a1425

positivelyc1443

assuredly1508

traist1508

traistfully1508

crousea1525

constantlya1538

resolutely1540

suredly1551

trestly1568

cocksure1579

resolvedly1610

assurantly1619

emphatically1629

decretorily1660

convincedly1812

unmisgivingly1842

solid1937

1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 385 As for the saying of Thomas of Aquine, one of the scholasticall sophisters in Diuinitie, I passe ouer, hee is cocke sure of M. Heskins side.

1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. i. 86 We steale as in a Castell cocksure... Wee walke inuisible.

1622 R. Sanderson Two Serm. Boston ii. 58 Let men beleeue, it is no matter how they liue, heaven is their owne cock-sure.

1755 H. Rimius tr. N. L. von Zinzendorf in Suppl. to Candid Narr. Rise & Progress Herrnhuters p. xli Persons so described, were as cocksure struck by it, as a screwed gun, fired at two feet distance, hits the mark.

Derivatives

† cocksuredom n. Obsolete rare the state or quality of being arrogantly self-confident.

ΚΠ

1883 Spectator 5 May 581 This critical cocksuredom would seem to be greatly on the increase.

† cocksureism n. Obsolete rare arrogant self-confidence; = cocksureness n.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > pride > excessive self-confidence > [noun]

overtrust?c1225

self-witc1425

self-trust1526

self-wisdom1571

self-assurance1595

confidence1599

self-confidence1604

self-security1606

self-sufficiencya1617

sufficiency1638

self-wittedness1647

self-trusting1658

self-poise1774

suffisance1781

cock-surety1819

disinvolturac1847

cocksureness1878

cocksureism1889

the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > extreme opinion, dogmatism > [noun]

dogmatism1603

pragmaticalness1626

positivenessa1649

magisteriousness1650

magisterialness1651

dogmaticalness1663

dogmaticality1705

cock-surety1819

ultraism1821

pontificating1825

doctrinairism1836

absolutism1854

dogmaticism1856

doctrinaritya1869

doctrinism1872

doctrinarianism1877

cocksureness1878

cocksureism1889

1889 C. S. Parnell in Birmingham Daily Post 20 Dec. 5/6 That magnificent cocksureism which Englishmen always exhibit when they are dealing with questions of which they have absolutely no knowledge.

1891 Public Opinion 27 Nov. 677/2 The author is absolutely free from dogmatism and cocksureism, if we may be permitted the word.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	cocksure
释义	cocksureadj.adv. Brit. /ˌkɒkˈʃɔː/, /ˌkɒkˈʃʊə/, U.S. /ˌkɑkˈʃʊ(ə)r/ Forms: see cock n.¹ and sure adj. Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: cock n.¹, sure adj. Etymology: < cock n.¹ + sure adj.The word appears almost certain to be a similative compound in which the underlying meaning is ‘as sure as a cock’. However, it is uncertain which sense of cock n.¹ was originally intended. The usual modern meaning ( A. 4) suggests an obvious analogy with cockish adj. 1, and later coxy adj. and cocky adj. 2. However, this sense first appears late in the history of this word (and could indeed partly be due to association with cockish adj. 1). The earlier senses denote sureness that is positive or neutral (rather than arrogant or overconfident). The suggestion that the expression alluded originally to the certainty of a cock crowing in the morning would fit with sense A. 1 but not with the more or less contemporary sense A. 2. The original reference could perhaps have been not to the bird at all, but rather to the security or certainty of a cock or tap in preventing the escape of liquid (perhaps specifically drink), or even of a tap with a removable turning-key in leaving the contents of a barrel or other container secure from interference; this would explain sense A. 2, but A. 1 less well. Chronology rules out reference to the cocking mechanism of a firearm (cock n.¹ 17). The expression could perhaps even show cock n.⁶, although it is hard to discern an underlying metaphor if so (perhaps ‘as sure as faith or trust in God’); it is perhaps possible that the word shows a reduced form of an oath (meaning ‘by God, sure’, ‘sure to God’), and hence not a similative compound at all. A. adj. Usually used predicatively; attributive use is only commonly found in sense A. 4. †1. a. Of a person: absolutely certain to do something, or of attaining a specified thing. Cf. sure adj. 10. Obsolete.Use with verbs expressing a person's own belief that something is an objective certainty, as in ‘to think oneself cocksure of something’ (see e.g. quots. 1520, 1687) naturally gave rise to sense A. 3, describing a person's subjective certainty that something is the case. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [adjective] > assured of possession sickera1200 surec1330 firm1483 cocksure1520 safe1538 secure1605 the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [adjective] > sure to be or do surec1330 secure1770 cocksure1848 1520 R. Whittington Uulgaria sig. E.i I haue knowen a man or nowe y^t thoughte hymselfe cokke sure of his entente. 1603 W. Clark Replie Libell Father Parsons f. 65 The English Iesuits in Rome, appropriated certaine pallaces in London to themselues, to fall vnto their lots.., making themselues cocksure of their already deuoured pray. 1687 T. Kemeys Veritas Evangelica 89 They esteem themselves to be the Elect of God; and to be Cock-sure of Salvation. 1848 A. H. Clough Bothie of Toper-na-Fuosich i. 137 Confound it, no, not Hewson, Ain't he cocksure to bring in his eternal political humbug? b. Of a plan, method, etc.: certain to succeed; admitting no possibility of failure, foolproof. Of a future event or an aim: certain to happen or be attained; guaranteed. Cf. sure adj. 11a, 12b. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > certain prospect or possession > [adjective] strongeOE fasteOE sure1418 cocksure?a1534 in the bag1900 gold-plated1913 ?a1534 H. Medwall Nature i. sig. ciii Sensualyte Begynnys a great rular to be And yf yt be so care not for me The mater ys cok sure. 1548 N. Udall et al. tr. Erasmus Paraphr. Newe Test. I. Pref. 17 a The same was a cockesuer waie. 1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 570 Triarius..made hast to winne the victory, as if it had bene cocke sure before Lucullus came. 1697 D. Jones Tragical Hist. Stuarts 298 in Contin. Secret Hist. White-Hall Solacing themselves in this Bloody Expectation, and thinking all Cock-sure, one tender-hearted Murderer among the rest, writ a Letter to the Lord Monteagle. a1739 C. Jarvis tr. M. de Cervantes Don Quixote (1742) I. iv. viii. 238 My earldom is cock-sure. c. Absolutely dependable or reliable; completely trustworthy. Cf. sure adj. 5a. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ society > morality > duty or obligation > recognition of duty > faithfulness or trustworthiness > [adjective] soothfastc825 truefastOE i-treowec1000 unfakenOE trueOE sickerc1100 trigc1175 strustya1250 steel to the (very) backa1300 true as steela1300 certainc1325 well-provedc1325 surec1330 traistc1330 tristc1330 trustya1350 faithfula1382 veryc1385 sada1387 discreet1387 trust1389 trothfulc1390 tristya1400 proveda1425 good-heartedc1425 well-trusted?a1439 tristfulc1440 authorizablea1475 faithworthy?1526 tentik1534 fidele1539 truthfulc1550 suresby1553 responsible1558 trestc1560 reliable1569 cocksurea1575 sound1581 trustful1582 truepenny1589 true (also good, sure) as touch1590 probable1596 confident1605 trustable1606 axiopistical1611 loyala1616 reposeful1627 confiding1645 fiducial1647 laudable1664 safe1667 accountable1683 serious1693 sponsible1721 dependable1730 unfailing1798 truthya1802 trustworthy1829 all right1841 stand-up1841 falsehood-free1850 right1856 proven1872 bankable1891 secure1954 the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > assured fact, certainty > reliability > [adjective] sickerc1100 very1303 certainc1325 trustyc1390 soothfasta1400 surea1400 unfailingc1400 unfailablea1525 unfallible1529 infailable1561 reliable1569 cocksurea1575 faithful1611 infalliblea1616 well-proven1639 unfallida1641 indefailable1693 securea1729 pukka1776 a1575 N. Harpsfield Treat. Divorce Henry VIII (1878) (modernized text) 169 When he cometh to the matter, he maketh it so cocksure that he esteemeth there be few articles of our faith which be approved by more authorities. 1591 J. Harington tr. L. Ariosto Orlando Furioso xliii. xxxi. 361 Not that my deare wife, I ought misdeemed, For her of all the rest, I thought cock sure. 1637 T. Heywood Royall King i. i. sig. B4^v And as I am true Cocke, so will I..be cocke sure in any imployment whatsoever. †2. a. Absolutely safe or protected; perfectly secure. Cf. sure adj. 1a. Obsolete.Indicating an actual state of safety or security, rather than (as in sense A. 2b) a subjective sense of this. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > safety > [adjective] > safe or secure sickerc897 safec1325 surec1330 safea1393 sover1396 traistya1400 exempta1420 undangeredc1460 surec1475 cocksurea1529 sound1535 jeopardless1549 dangerless?1555 secure1572 secure1576 defensible1581 unobnoxious?1609 unendangereda1658 rug1705 anchored1878 a1529 J. Skelton Why come ye nat to Courte (?1545) sig. Avii^v Whyles the red hat doth endure He m[a]keth him selfe cock sure. a1555 J. Bradford Let. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1570) III. 1822/2 Who so dwelleth vnder that secrete thing, and helpe of the Lord, he shalbe cocke sure for euer more. 1662 H. Foulis Hist. Wicked Plots ii. i. 100 All such persons as shall be nominated..shall be cock-sure in their Authority. 1760 Musical Misc. xxvi. 26 Then pointing to the Door, she said, Let's first make that secure, Then I and you Will kiss—or so, When every Thing's cock-sure. b. Feeling perfectly secure; quite convinced that one is safe or protected. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pleasure > freedom from trouble, care, or sorrow > [adjective] sorrowlessOE carelessa1000 restful1340 clearc1374 unsada1450 undiseased?c1450 unoffendedc1450 undistroubled1466 frank1477 unvexed1485 quiet1535 secure1545 griefless1552 trouble-void1559 woeless1568 undistressed1582 tearless1603 cocksure1613 undejected1613 undisquieted1627 uncareful1635 serene1640 indisconsolatea1645 trouble-free1648 catastematic1656 thoughtless1659 incruciated1661 easy1692 undepressed1697 unsufferinga1732 ungloomed1737 solute1742 unanxious1742 undarkened1742 unsighinga1743 comfortable1770 unharassed1796 unworried1818 gloomless1820 ungroaning1821 unpestered1824 ungrieving1837 troubleless1838 unsaddened?c1840 untrespassed1854 unannoyed1865 unfretted1870 fretless1878 worriless1889 stress-free1898 unstressed1927 the world > action or operation > safety > [adjective] > safe or secure > feeling secure cocksure1613 1613 G. Wither Abuses Stript ii. iv. sig. S4^v Through the great blessing of these quiet yeares, We are so feare-lesse care-lesse and secure In this our happy peace and so cock-sure. a1665 G. Starkey Expos. Six Gates v. 369 in Ripley Reviv'd (1678) Some hidden thing which thou oughtest to understand, which thou being Cock-sure at first blush wilt neglect; but yet it will bite thee by the heel when thou approachest. 3. Feeling completely certain, absolutely sure or convinced in one's own mind (of something, or that something is the case).This sense arose from uses of sense A. 1a (see note at that sense). This neutral use, without implication of overconfidence or arrogance, is now much less common than sense A. 4. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > [adjective] sickerc1100 bolda1300 surec1330 trist1340 certain1362 traista1400 tresta1400 ensurec1430 suredc1450 absolute1483 firm1483 resolute1501 assured1523 satisfied1533 unperplexed1558 unblanked1570 resolved1577 secure1578 clear1604 constant1611 ungravelled1611 confidenta1616 definitea1616 fearless1634 decretory1651 positive1658 unbrangled1671 cocksure1672 convinced1685 reliant1702 unbewildereda1807 positivistic1893 hensure1929 tooting1932 1672 W. Wycherley Love in Wood ii. i You are so positively cock-sure of your wit, you wou'd refer to a mere stranger your plea to the Bay-tree. 1686 Dialogue Philiater & Momus 163 How come you to be so cock-sure, concerning hundreds of Patients, and hundreds of Physicians? 1834 F. Marryat Jacob Faithful I. xiii. 234 ‘I do believe that—I'm drunk.’ ‘And I'm cock sure of it,’ cried Tom. 1928 Santa Ana (Calif.) Reg. 19 Sept. 20/5 Do we know enough yet to be cocksure? 1988 Times of India 8 June 19 Only..when one is cocksure that the donor's blood is devoid of Australia Antigen it is [sic] issued for transfusion. Hence blood donors need not be anxious about it. 4. Excessively or arrogantly self-confident or self-assured; brashly or smugly overconfident. Cf. cocky adj. 2.Now the usual sense. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pride > excessive self-confidence > [adjective] over-trusty?c1225 assured1477 self-wise1573 confident1600 flush1604 crested1619 sufficienta1625 self-sufficient1628 self-confiding1647 self-trustinga1660 self-secure1679 self-assured1711 cocksure1842 secure1859 self-sufficing1874 ten feet tall1962 the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > extreme opinion, dogmatism > [adjective] high?1535 Arctic1593 magistral1596 forward1608 confident1611 magisterial1635 pragmatic1638 high-flown1640 affirmative1650 thetical1653 positive1658 pragmatical1660 dogmatical1662 dogmatic1681 unargumentative1722 ultra1820 doctrinaire1834 cocksure1842 doctrinary1846 unevidential1853 Doctrinarian1878 pontificating1922 fundamentalist1928 hardcore1951 1705 J. Michelborne Ireland Preserv'd i. i. 11 'Tis well if the English Men do not make them stink above ground, for all they are so Cock-sure, and I my self hope to curb their Insolence. 1756 State-farce: a Lyrick 5 Thus at the Goose, a shrewd Court-Game, I've seen a cock-sure Up-start claim The joint-stock Pool, as his-'n. 1842 R. H. Barham Aunt Fanny in Ingoldsby Legends 2nd Ser. 149 Don't be too secure!—Let seeming success never make you ‘cock-sure’! 1861 Times 23 Aug. 10/2 Mr. Buckle..has fallen head over heels into the most abominable pitfall ever invented by a philosopher for the discomfiture of a cocksure historian. 1933 Pittsburgh Courier 28 Oct. i. 3/3 George Parsons arrived at 8 o'clock with flowers, a pint of Old Taylor, and a cocksure swagger. 2016 Globe & Mail (Canada) (Nexis) 13 Aug. f1 The world sees Americans as self-confident, even cocksure, but they have a self-doubting, self-critical side, too. †B. adv. For certain; most certainly. Also (in quot. 1598): with perfect safety; without risk. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > safety > [adverb] > safely or securely > with perfect security cocksure1579 the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > absence of doubt, confidence > [adverb] trulyOE boldlyc1175 sickerlyc1275 tristly1340 redelya1375 redilya1375 surelyc1380 tristilyc1380 certainc1384 faithfullyc1384 trustilyc1390 certainlya1400 trustlya1400 undoubtinglyc1400 absolutely?a1425 positivelyc1443 assuredly1508 traist1508 traistfully1508 crousea1525 constantlya1538 resolutely1540 suredly1551 trestly1568 cocksure1579 resolvedly1610 assurantly1619 emphatically1629 decretorily1660 convincedly1812 unmisgivingly1842 solid1937 1579 W. Fulke Heskins Parl. Repealed in D. Heskins Ouerthrowne 385 As for the saying of Thomas of Aquine, one of the scholasticall sophisters in Diuinitie, I passe ouer, hee is cocke sure of M. Heskins side. 1598 W. Shakespeare Henry IV, Pt. 1 ii. i. 86 We steale as in a Castell cocksure... Wee walke inuisible. View more context for this quotation 1622 R. Sanderson Two Serm. Boston ii. 58 Let men beleeue, it is no matter how they liue, heaven is their owne cock-sure. 1755 H. Rimius tr. N. L. von Zinzendorf in Suppl. to Candid Narr. Rise & Progress Herrnhuters p. xli Persons so described, were as cocksure struck by it, as a screwed gun, fired at two feet distance, hits the mark. Derivatives † cocksuredom n. Obsolete rare the state or quality of being arrogantly self-confident. ΚΠ 1883 Spectator 5 May 581 This critical cocksuredom would seem to be greatly on the increase. † cocksureism n. Obsolete rare arrogant self-confidence; = cocksureness n. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > pride > excessive self-confidence > [noun] overtrust?c1225 self-witc1425 self-trust1526 self-wisdom1571 self-assurance1595 confidence1599 self-confidence1604 self-security1606 self-sufficiencya1617 sufficiency1638 self-wittedness1647 self-trusting1658 self-poise1774 suffisance1781 cock-surety1819 disinvolturac1847 cocksureness1878 cocksureism1889 the mind > mental capacity > belief > expressed belief, opinion > extreme opinion, dogmatism > [noun] dogmatism1603 pragmaticalness1626 positivenessa1649 magisteriousness1650 magisterialness1651 dogmaticalness1663 dogmaticality1705 cock-surety1819 ultraism1821 pontificating1825 doctrinairism1836 absolutism1854 dogmaticism1856 doctrinaritya1869 doctrinism1872 doctrinarianism1877 cocksureness1878 cocksureism1889 1889 C. S. Parnell in Birmingham Daily Post 20 Dec. 5/6 That magnificent cocksureism which Englishmen always exhibit when they are dealing with questions of which they have absolutely no knowledge. 1891 Public Opinion 27 Nov. 677/2 The author is absolutely free from dogmatism and cocksureism, if we may be permitted the word. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022). > see also also refers to : † cock-surev. < adj.adv.1520 see also
随便看	knight of the commonty or of parliament knight of the community knight of the cue knight of the elbow knight of the field knight of the forked order knight of the golden fleece knight of the golden spur knight of the grammar knight of the hammer knight of the holy ghost knight of the holy sepulchre knight of the knife knight of the needle knight of the order of the fork knight of the parliament knight of the pen knight of the pencil knight of the pestle knight of the porcupine knight of the post knight of the quill knight of the road knight of the round table knight of the rueful countenance

cocksureadj.adv.

Derivatives

> see also