1.
[syn: roadrunner, chaparral cock, Geococcyx californianus]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Chaparral \Cha`par*ral"\, n. [Sp., fr. chaparro an evergeen
oak.]
1. A thicket of low evergreen oaks.
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2. An almost impenetrable thicket or succession of thickets
of thorny shrubs and brambles.
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Chaparral cock; fem. Chaparral hen (Zool.), a bird of the
cuckoo family (Geococcyx Californianus), noted for
running with great speed. It ranges from California to
Mexico and eastward to Texas; -- called also road
runner, ground cuckoo, churea, and snake killer. It
is the state bird of New Mexico.
[1913 Webster +PJC] chapati
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Cock \Cock\ (k[o^]k), n. [AS. coc; of unknown origin, perh. in
imitation of the cry of the cock. Cf. Chicken.]
1. The male of birds, particularly of gallinaceous or
domestic fowls.
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2. A vane in the shape of a cock; a weathercock.
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Drenched our steeples, drowned the cocks! --Shak.
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3. A chief man; a leader or master. [Humorous]
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Sir Andrew is the cock of the club, since he left
us. --Addison.
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4. The crow of a cock, esp. the first crow in the morning;
cockcrow. [Obs.]
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He begins at curfew, and walks till the first cock.
--Shak.
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5. A faucet or valve.
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Note: Jonsons says, "The handle probably had a cock on the
top; things that were contrived to turn seem anciently
to have had that form, whatever was the reason."
Skinner says, because it used to be constructed in
forma crit[ae] galli, i.e., in the form of a cock's
comb.
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6. The style of gnomon of a dial. --Chambers.
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7. The indicator of a balance. --Johnson.
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8. The bridge piece which affords a bearing for the pivot of
a balance in a clock or watch. --Knight.
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9. a penis. [vulgar]
[PJC]
Ball cock. See under Ball.
Chaparral cock. See under Chaparral.
Cock and bull story, an extravagant, boastful story; a
canard.
Cock of the plains (Zool.) See Sage cock.
Cock of the rock (Zool.), a South American bird (Rupicola
aurantia) having a beautiful crest.
Cock of the walk, a chief or master; the hero of the hour;
one who has overcrowed, or got the better of, rivals or
competitors.
Cock of the woods. See Capercailzie.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
chaparral cock
n 1: speedy largely terrestrial bird found from California and
Mexico to Texas [syn: roadrunner, chaparral cock,
Geococcyx californianus]