† ˈprincock, -cox Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: α. 6 pryn-, 6–7 (9) princox; also 6 -coxe, -cockes, -cocks, -kox, -kockes (7 primecocks). β. 6–7 princock, (prime-cocke, primcock), 9 (dial.) princy-cock.
[Etymol. and original form obscure; the form -cocks, -cox appears earlier than -cock. See Note below.]
A pert, forward, saucy boy or youth; a conceited young fellow; a coxcomb. humorous or contemptuous.
| α 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus R ij b, Aco. Wylt thou gold .i. any pieces of golde? Lais. This chayne my lyttell prycke .i. I wolde fayne haue this chayne (of golde) my pretye pryncockes, or my ballocke stones. a 1553 ? Ingelend Nice Wanton (1560) A iv b, What ye pryncockes, begin ye to raue? 1568 Hist. Jacob & Esau v. x. in Hazl. Dodsley II. 260 It is your dainty darling, your prinkox, your golpol. 1592 Nashe P. Penilesse (ed. 2) 23 A Caualier of the first feather, a princockes that was but a Page the other day in the Court. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. v. 88. 1602 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass. iii. ii. 1197 Your proud uniuersity princox thinkes he is a man of such merit the world cannot sufficiently endow him with preferment. 1606 Warner Alb. Eng. xvi. cv. (1612) 410 And dares the Prime⁓cocks interrupt me in my loue, quoth she? 1636 Heywood Loves Mistr. ii. i. Wks. 1874 V. 113 Who doe you thinke maintaines this princox in his Pontificalibus? 1821 Scott Kenilw. vii, Well-a-day—God save us from all such mis⁓proud princoxes! 1825 Brockett N.C. Gloss., Princox, a pert or forward fellow. |
| β 1562 T. Phaer æneid ix. D d ij, Euryalus,..Fyne prin⁓cock fresh of face furst vttring youth by buds vnshorne. 1570 Levins Manip. 159/1 A Princocke, precox, lasciuus. 1589 Mar Martine A iij, Siker, thous bot a pruid princock thus reking of thy swinke. 1598 Florio, Pinchino, a pillicock, a primcock, a prick, a prettie lad, a gull, a noddie. 1611 Ibid., Pinchino, a prime-cocke, a pillicocke, a darlin, a beloued lad. 1617 Minsheu Ductor, A Princocke, a ripe headed yong boy. 1674 Ray N.C. Words 37 A Princock, a pert, forward Fellow. 1719 Gloss. Angl. Nova, Princock, a forward Youth, a brisk Spark. 1828 Craven Gloss. (ed. 2), Princy-cock, a term used here in addressing a young person. 1869 Lonsdale Gloss., Princy-cock, a dandified, conceited young fellow. |
b. attrib. or as adj.; esp. in princock-boy.
| 1595 Locrine ii. iv, Naught reck I of thy threats, thou princox boy. 1598 Florio, Herba da buoi..vsed for a princock boy [1611 a prime-cock-boy], a fresh man, a milke sop, a nouice, or fresh water souldier. 1611 Coryat Crudities 414 Proud princocke scholars that are puffed vp with the opinion of their learning. 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 367 Such vpstart princox Youths as you. 1634 Canne Necess. Separ. (1849) 25 They shall be called asses, geese, fools, dolts, princock boys, beardless boys,..new come out of the shell, &c. a 1668 Davenant Play-house to let v. i, Proud Princock-Cæsar hardly seems to mind him. |
[Note. One suggestion is that the first element is prime, but though primecock is used by Florio, this looks rather like an etymological manipulation; other early writers held it for an alteration of L. præcox ‘early, precocious’. Apparently the word was originally of slang or low use, perh. somewhat obscene or equivocal; cf. quot. 1540, and the synonyms in Florio.]