cockalorum

cock·a·lo·rum

(kŏk′ə-lôr′əm)

1. A little man with an unduly high opinion of himself.

2. Boastful talk; braggadocio.

[Perhaps alteration (influenced by Latin -ōrum, genitive pl. ending) of obsolete Flemish kockeloeren, to crow, of imitative origin.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cockalorum

(ˌkɒkəˈlɔːrəm)

1. a self-important little man

2. bragging talk; crowing

[C18: from cock¹ + -alorum, a variant of Latin genitive plural ending -orum; perhaps intended to suggest: the cock of all cocks]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cock•a•lo•rum

(ˌkɒk əˈlɔr əm, -ˈloʊr-)

n.

1. a person of exaggerated self-importance.

2. conceited talk; swagger.

[1705–15; mock Latin, = cock¹ + fanciful -al- + Latin genitive pl. ending -ōrum]

References in periodicals archive ?

The seven-year-old has thrived this term and recorded another personal best when edging out Cockalorum in a trappy 1m 2f handicap at Ayr.

I'VE SEEN THE LIGHT tricky; Appleby's filly will make bookies blush in HQ Group 3

2 Louie's Kingdom Baird/Rivelli 5-1 Speed says catch me 6 Cha Vez Murrill/Correas 2-1 Just 2nd; tough 1 Thenextbestthing Emigh/Roussel 9-2 Beaten fav all 3 races 8 Hello America JLopez/Block 7-2 Can fly by late 5 Cockalorum Doyle/Mitchell 20-1 Lone turf not bad 4 Vacation Lover Valdivia/Roussel 4-1 Needed last; some speed 9 Ekaterinoslav Felix/Kzhmzharv 15-1 5th in last three 3 Prince Zar Perez/Wiliamson 20-1 Stretch out; 1st turf 7 Drayke's Channel Brigmohn/Rednour 30-1 May press early pace 5.

Arlington selections

Cockalorum may have more to offer than many of his mainly-exposed rivals in Ayr's mileand-a-quarter Class 4 handicap.

Fell can grab the Ayr prize

"Word of the day: 'cockalorum', 18th-century speak for a selfimportant, strutting little man" Countdown words expert Susie Dent

QUOTES OF THE DAY

You have to take things as they come and try to have a good group around you to chat with because the media and the way they portray things can tear you apart as a human" The Hills star Justin Brescia "Word of the day: 'cockalorum', 18th-century speak for a selfimportant, strutting little man" Countdown words expert Susie Dent

QUOTES OF THE DAY

"Word of the day: 'cockalorum', 18th Century speak for a self-important, strutting little man" - Countdown words expert Susie Dent, pictured.

Who said it

"Word of the day: 'cockalorum', 18th-century speak for a self-important, strutting little man" - Countdown words expert Susie Dent.

QUOTE

MICHAEL HALFORD'S, above, Godolphin-owed Cockalorum, which showed definite promise in his initial two outings at Dundalk, might make a successful transition to turf in the www.listowelraces.ie Maiden.

Mick tops the List

All is flags, patriotism and high cockalorum. The two settings could not be more different.

All for 70 seconds

With the comportment of a fallen aristocrat, Fields played the cockalorum like no one else.

Notes on W.C. Fields (for Jim Gardner)

The frog he wouldn't, and high cockalorum', in circumstances where he clearly means something like 'Fagin will be exceedingly displeased'.