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Cock-sure (Grose 1811 Dictionary)

Cock-sure

Certain: a metaphor borrowed from the cock of a firelock, as being much more certain to fire than the match.

Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.

See also the definition in Nathan Bailey's 1736 dictionary of canting and thieving slang.

Cock Robin * Cock your Eye

Nearby

Nathan Bailey's 1736 Dictionary of canting and thieving slang

John S. Farmer's collection of canting songs and slang rhymes

Buy a modern reprint of this book from Amazon CA; US;

About

Francis Grose was independently wealthy, having inherited money from his father, a jeweller. Finding himself overspending, he published a number of books; his Provincial Glossary seems to have been the starting-point for the Vulgar Tongue reproduced here.

Cock Alley
Cock and a Bull Story
Cock of the Company
Cock-a-whoop
Cock Bawd
Cock Hoist
Cockish
Cockles
Cock Pimp
Cock Robin
Cock-sure
Cock your Eye
Cocker
Cockney
Cockshut Time
Cod
Codders
Codger
Cod Piece
Cods
Cod’s Head