WEATHERCOCK

weathercock

(noun) weathervane with a vane in the form of a rooster

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

weathercock (plural weathercocks)

A weather vane, sometimes in the form of a cockerel.

(figuratively) One who veers with every change of current opinion; a fickle, inconstant person.

(Chiefly US and Canada) A wind pump style where the top of it behaves like a weather vane, moving with the wind direction, but also with a wheel attached to measure wind speed.

Verb

weathercock (third-person singular simple present weathercocks, present participle weathercocking, simple past and past participle weathercocked)

(intransitive, of a boat) To turn upwind because of the difference in water pressure on two sides.

(intransitive, of an airplane or missile) To veer into the direction of the oncoming (relative) wind.

(transitive) To act as a weathercock for.

Source: Wiktionary


Weath"er*cock`, n.

1. A vane, or weather vane; -- so called because originally often in the figure of a cock, turning on the top of a spire with the wind, and showing its direction. "As a wedercok that turneth his face with every wind." Chaucer. Noisy weathercocks rattled and sang of mutation. Longfellow.

2. Hence, any thing or person that turns easily and frequently; one who veers with every change of current opinion; a fickle, inconstant person.

Weath"er*cock`, v. t.

Definition: To supply with a weathercock; to serve as a weathercock for. Whose blazing wyvern weathercock the spire. Tennyson.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

4 June 2025

LEND

(verb) bestow a quality on; “Her presence lends a certain cachet to the company”; “The music added a lot to the play”; “She brings a special atmosphere to our meetings”; “This adds a light note to the program”


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Coffee Trivia

International Coffee Day (September 29) is an occasion to promote and celebrate coffee as a beverage, with events occurring in places across the world. A day to promote fair trade coffee and raise awareness for the coffee growers’ plight. Other countries celebrate this event on October 1.

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