cock-boat
(ˈkɒkbəʊt)
Also 5 cok-, cog-, 6–7 cocke-.
[f. cock n.3 + boat n.: in 15th c. occas. cogboote, according to the earlier association of cog and cock: see these words.]
A small ship's-boat, esp. the small boat which is often towed behind a coasting vessel or ship going up or down river. Often used typically as the smallest or lightest of floating craft.
| c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (1840) 152 A ship with a large seyl, And a cokboot that goth in Tempse lowe. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 86/1 Cogboote [1499 Pynson cok bote], scafa. 1530 Palsgr. 206/2 Cockebote to rowe with, cocquet. 1580 Lyly Euphues Ep. Ded. (Arb.) 218 The little Cock boat is safe, when it is hoised into a tall ship. 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Acts xxvii. 16 We could scarse get the cock-boate. 1666 Lond. Gaz. No. 56/1 The Master and Company put to Land in their Cock-boat for assistance. 1755 H. Walpole Corr. (ed. 3) III. 103 We take from Men-of-war and Domingo-Men, down to colliers and cock-boats. 1858 Kingsley Poems, Watchman 7 There's water to float a little cock-boat. 1861 W. H. Russell in Times 23 Sept., The finest..was but a cockboat compared with the Warrior. |
| fig. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. iii. (1873) 23 Never caring..what becomes of the ship of estates, so they may save themselves in the cockboat of their own fortune. 1636 Featly Clavis Myst. xiv. 190 Neere drowned the cocke boate of his private fortune. |