▪ I. cotter, n.1
see cottar.
▪ II. cotter, n.2
(ˈkɒtə(r))
[See cotterel n.]
A pin, key, wedge, or bolt which fits into a hole and fastens something in its place.
The term is variously applied to: (a) a small pin which fits into a hole in a bar, bolt, or the like, and keeps something in its place; sometimes a split pin (see quot. 1887); (b) a bolt passing through a hole (in a shutter, etc.) and secured on the inside, usually by a smaller pin; (c) a ‘key’ or wedge-shaped piece of wood or metal used for tightening up or fastening parts of machinery, as the strap-head to the connecting rod, for holding together links of a broken chain, etc.
| 1649 [implied in cotter-hole and cotter v.1]. 1747 Hooson Miner's Dict. s.v. Boring, I do not at all like Sockets and Cotters. 1790 E. Marshall Rur. Econ. Midl. C. Gloss., Cotter, an iron key to a bolt. 1833 J. Holland Manuf. Metal II. 209 A coupling bar, bolted at both ends with steel cottars. 1842 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. ii. 350 This simple little contrivance is much preferable to pins and cotters, which are apt to shake out, or to be neglected in the fastening. 1856 Ann. Reg. 54 There was an outside shutter fastened by a cotter within. 1880 Daily News 20 Apr. 2 The use of the cotters was to tighten up the bracings. 1887 S. Cheshire Gloss., Cotter, an iron pin or peg, split from the bottom into two arms diverging at a small angle..After passing through the hole the arms of course spring apart again, and the pin is secured in its place. |
b. Comb., as cotter-hole; cotter-drill, cotter-file, tools for making the holes for cotters to fit into; cotter-patch, see quot. 1884; cotter-pin, a cotter, or a pin to keep a cotter in its place.
| 1649 W. Blithe Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653) 67 Through..the Wood, the tange of the Coulter must come, with a Cotter-hole in it above. 1881 Greener Gun 85 The thimble is retained in the barrel during the discharge by a cotter pin passing through the barrel, the base of the thimble, and the stock. 1884 Cheshire Gloss., Cotter-patch, salt-making term. An iron patch put at one corner of a salt-pan, and fastened with a cotter, to cover the letting out place. 1891 Daily News 24 Jan. 3/8 The..Cycling Company have adopted the principle of fixing the pedals to the cranks by means of a cotter pin instead of a nut. |
▪ III. ˈcotter, n.3 dial.
[f. cotter v.2]
An entanglement; fig. a difficulty, trouble, worry.
| 1875 Lanc. Gloss., Cotters, entanglements. 1881 Leicestersh. Gloss., Cotter..the word is also used for plague, trouble, worry. |
▪ IV. cotter, v.1
(ˈkɒtə(r))
[f. cotter n.2]
trans. To fasten with a cotter. Hence ˈcottered ppl. a.
| 1649 W. Blithe Eng. Improv. Impr. (1653) 67 To cotter it close to the over-side of the Staff. Ibid. 197 An iron bolt..strongly drawn up and cottered fast. 1856 Ann. Reg. 54 My father uncottered the window. 1875 Lanc. Gloss. s.v. Cotter, ‘Cotter them shutters, an' let's get to bed.’ 1877 M. Reynolds Locom. Eng. Driving v. (ed. 5) 246 Enginemen are warned against improperly cottering up any joint or brass, and thereby causing the journals to become hot. |
▪ V. ˈcotter, v.2 Chiefly dial.
[In sense 1, app. a frequentative of cot v.2; but it is uncertain whether all the senses belong to one and the same word.]
1. trans. and intr. To form into a tangled mass; to entangle, mat, ‘cot’.
| 1781 J. Hutton Tour Caves Gloss., Cotterd, entangled. 1796 Marshall Rur. Econ. Yorkshire (ed. 2) Gloss., Cotter, to entangle; as thread, or the hair. 1811 Willan W. Riding Yorksh. Gloss., Cottered, Cotted, entangled, matted together. The word is usually applied to hair, or wool. 1877 E. Peacock N.W. Linc. Gloss., Cottered, matted, entangled; applied to hair or wool. [So in northern dial. glossaries generally.] |
2. trans. To clot, coagulate, congeal.
| 1577 Holinshed Chron. II. 338 A coffen of bones cottered with clods of claie. 1781 J. Hutton Tour Caves Gloss., Cotterd..clotted. 1825–79 Jamieson s.v., To cotter eggs, to drop them into a pan, and stir them round with a little butter, till edible. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Cottered..coagulated. |
3. intr. with up: To shrivel or shrink up.
| 1817 J. Bell Treat. Confect. (Newcastle) iii. 136 If you boil the syrup too strong, the plums will cotter up to half the size. 1876 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Cottered up, shrivelled. 1877 Holderness Gloss., Cother-up, to become shrunken, withered or dried up. 1877 E. Peacock N.W. Linc. Gloss., Cottered, crumpled, shrunk, run-up; as applied to woollen or cotton goods. |
4. To crowd together.
| 1876 Robinson Whitby Gloss., Cottering, pres. part., crowding together as people over the fire-side. |
Hence ˈcottered ppl. a.; ˈcottering vbl. n., fig. an entanglement, difficulty (Whitby Gloss.).