NOTE: This article was originally written for Studio’s production of Cock in the 2013-2014 season.

From its humble roots as Old English onomatopoeia, the title of this play has been co-opted in English slang to mean everything from “male chicken” to “male member.” Here are a few meanings Mike Bartlett might have had in mind:

All a-cock (adjective): Unsatisfactory, mixed up. “I can’t find anything on my mess of a desk! Everything’s all a-cock!”

Cock about (verb): To fool around. Cocks are known for cocking about.

Cock a snoot (verb): To openly show contempt or disrespect, from the action of placing one’s hand in front of the face with the thumb touching the nose and with the fingers spread. When his teacher wasn’t looking, Billy, a chronic cock, cocked a snoot.

Cockup (noun or verb): Blunder, mess up, or botch. Because she’d been cocking about instead of planning the evening, she completely cocked up their anniversary.

Cock (noun): A friend or fellow; alternatively, a stupid person. “My best friend is both a cock and a cock.”

Cock (noun): Nonsense. “Your excuse for being a cock earlier is total cock.”

Cock (noun): A male chicken; rooster. “That's quite a cock you've got there.”

Cock (noun; slang: vulgar): The male sex organ. “That's quite a cock you've got there.”