1.cock作动词时意思是“使某物竖起”,指原本平放的物体由于受到外界因素的影响而变得竖起来。cock还可指“使某物倾斜”,指使原来端正的事物变得歪斜。
2.cock主要用作及物动词,后接名词或代词作宾语。

cock up(v.+adv.)
把某物搞糟 spoil or ruin sth by incompetence; bungle sth
▲cock sth ⇔ up
The travel agent completely cocked up the arrangements for our holiday.旅行社把我们假日安排搞得一塌糊涂。
Trust him to cock it up!保准他会把它搞糟!

用作及物动词
▲S+～+n./pron.
The horse cocked its ears when it heard the noise.那马听到声音就竖起了耳朵。
The dog cocked its tail when it heard the master's footsteps.当那狗听到主人的脚步声时,它抬起了尾巴。
The dog cocked its leg against the lamppost.狗对着灯柱抬起一条腿撒尿。
She cocked her hat at a jaunty angle.她把帽子歪戴成俏皮的样子。

［词源］  ＜中古英语cok＜古英语cocc(拟雄鸡啼叫的声音)

1.cock的基本意思是指成年的雄鸡,即“公鸡”,与其相对应的阴性名词是hen。cock引申可指“头,领导者”。
2.cock是可数名词,后接介词of,指“…的头”。

cock and bull story
无稽之谈,荒诞的故事 sth that is impossible
Get along with you. It's a cock and bull story.去你的,这是无稽之谈。
Don't listen to his cock and bull story.别听他那荒诞的故事。
The tramp told a cock and bull story about finding the money hidden in a bottle behind a tree in the park.流浪汉编了一个荒诞的故事,说他在公园的一棵树的后面发现了藏在瓶子里面的钱。
The teacher warned the boy that if he heard any more of his cock and bull story, he would be severely punished.老师警告那个男孩说,如果他再听到他胡说八道,他将受到严惩。
The jury did not believe the witness' cock and bull story.陪审团不相信证人的无稽之谈。

go off at half cock
因冒失而失败,仓促行事 fail because of doing things hurry
Don't go off at half cock and accept any offer you'll regret later.不要急于接受你以后会为之懊悔的提议。
The plan to murder the president went off at half cock because the signal was given before it should have been.暗杀总统的计划操之过急,因为还没有到时候就发出了信号。
Mr. Ben was thinking about quitting his job, but I told him not to go off at half cock.本先生想要辞掉工作,可我告诉他不要仓促行事。
Attention, please, don't go off at half cock.请注意,不要仓促行事。

A hen cackles. A cock crows.母鸡咯咯叫,公鸡喔喔啼。
The cock announces the morning.金鸡报晓。
Cocks crow at dawn.公鸡在黎明时啼叫。
I was roused by the crowing cock at dawn of day.拂晓时,我被公鸡的啼叫声惊醒了。
The old woman keeps a cock and several hens.这个老太太养了一只公鸡和几只母鸡。
The cock crows in the farmyard.雄鸡在农家院中啼叫。
What a big cock!好大的一只公鸡呀!
Cock is bold on his own dunghill.公鸡总是在自己的粪堆上称雄。
He was the cock of the school.他是全校学生的领袖。
Don't say a word against him. He's the cock of the walk in their set.一句话也别顶撞他,他是那伙人中称王称霸的人。

cock, rooster
这两个词都表示“公鸡”,二者在意思和用法上没有区别,只是cock是英式英语用法,而rooster是美式英语用法。