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Cock and Pie (By)

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We meet with cock’s bones, cock’s wounds, cock’s mother, cock’s body, cock’s passion, etc., where we can have no doubt that the word is a minced oath, and stands for the sacred name which should never be taken in vain. The Pie is the table or rule in the old Roman offices, showing how to find out the service for each day, called by the Greeks piʹnax (an index). The latter part of the oath is equivalent to “the Mass book.”

By cock and pie, sir, you shall not away tonight.”—Shakespeare: 2 Henry IV., act v. 1.

Cock and Pie (as a public-house sign) is probably “The Cock and Magpie.”

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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Cobbler Poet (The)
Cobbler’s Punch
Cobbler’s Toast
Cobham
Cob-nut
Coburgs
Cobweb
Cock
Cock and Bottle
Cock and Bull Story
Cock and Pie (By)
Cock of Hay (A)
Cock of the North
Cock of the Walk
Cock-a-hoop
Cock apace
Cockboat
Cock-crow
Cock-eye
Cock-fighting
Cock-horse