bawcock

English

Etymology

From Old French baud (“bold, gay”) + cock.

Noun

bawcock (plural bawcocks)

1. (archaic) A fine fellow.
   • 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:

     Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage; / Abate thy rage, great duke. / Good bawcock, bate thy rage. Use lenity, sweet chuck.

References

• “bawcock”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “bawcock”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.

Anagrams

• cowback