cocksure

  • 1Cocksure — Cock sure , a. 1. Perfectly safe. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] We steal as in a castle, cocksure: . . . we walk invisible. Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Quite certain. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] I thought myself cocksure of the horse which he readily promised… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2cocksure — 1520s, certain, from COCK (Cf. cock) (n.1) + SURE (Cf. sure). Probably as assured as a cock. The word was originally perfectly dignified, and habitually used in the most solemn connexions [OED] …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3cocksure — positive, certain, *sure Analogous words: *confident, assured, sanguine, presumptuous: pretentious (see SHOWY): *decided, decisive Antonyms: dubious, doubtful Contrasted words: modest, diffident (see SHY) …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 4cocksure — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ presumptuously or arrogantly confident. DERIVATIVES cocksureness noun. ORIGIN from archaic cock (a euphemism for God) + SURE(Cf. ↑sureness); later associated with COCK(Cf. ↑cock) …

    English terms dictionary

  • 5cocksure — [käk′shoor′] adj. [ COCK1 + SURE] 1. absolutely sure or certain 2. sure or self confident in a stubborn or overbearing way cocksureness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 6Cocksure — 1st edition cover Cocksure is a novel by Mordecai Richler. It was first published in 1968 by McClelland and Stewart. A satirical work, the novel centres on Mortimer Griffin, a middle class Anglican from Caribou, Ontario who has built a successful …

    Wikipedia

  • 7cocksure — cocksurely, adv. cocksureness, n. /kok shoor , sherr /, adj. 1. perfectly sure or certain; completely confident in one s own mind: She was cocksure that she was able to do the job better than anyone else. 2. too certain; overconfident: He was so… …

    Universalium

  • 8cocksure — {adj.} Overconfident; very sure. * /Paul was cocksure that it wasn t going to snow, but it snowed so much that we had to dig our way out of the house./ …

    Dictionary of American idioms

  • 9cocksure — {adj.} Overconfident; very sure. * /Paul was cocksure that it wasn t going to snow, but it snowed so much that we had to dig our way out of the house./ …

    Dictionary of American idioms

  • 10cocksure — cock|sure [ˌkɔkˈʃuə US ˌka:kˈʃur] adj old fashioned [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: cock word used to avoid saying God (14 19 centuries) + sure] too confident of your abilities or knowledge, in a way that is annoying to other people ▪ He seemed rather… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English