Cock
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A cock is:
- a type of tap, faucet or valve.
- Steam cock, is a drain valve on a steam engine cylinder.
- Bib cock, a small type of valve.
- Sample cock, small valve fitted in brewerys and other process industries to check the product during manufacture.
- Stop cock to turn off the mains supply of water to a house. A Stop cock is also used in chemistry, the valve on a titration tube is called a stop cock.
- Petcock, a small valve, primarily for draining liquid or releasing pressure from a vessel.
- a vulgarism for the penis.
- The shape and function of the type of mechanism called the cock, and the male symbolism of the rooster, gives this term double reinforcement.
The bracket in horology is called a cock (green)
- a part of a clock or watch used to support an outrigger bearing for a gear or lever.
- Balance cock, supports the balance wheel in a watch.
- Fly cock, supports the fly on a bracket clock.
- a state of the hammer in a firearm. A gun may be "cocked" in readiness for firing. Muskets usually have two "cocked" positions, the from first of which it's easy to ready the gun for firing, but keeping the trigger locked. Origin of the term "going off at half cock" or "going off half cocked" which result in a mis-fire or a failure to fire.
Cock has several other meanings: see Wiktionary:cock