Meanings
cosh1
plural coshes
- A weapon made of leather-covered metal similar to a blackjack.
Two coshes swung in the moonlight. The guards crumpled.
2001, Anthony Horowitz, “Night Raid”, in Point Blanc, Walker Books, page 1521 more example
The caissier has a cosh and a gun to protect him, and to heave over the barrier and steal some notes and then vault back and get out of the casino through the passages and doors would be impossible.
1953, Ian Fleming, “The Secret Agent”, in Casino Royale, London: Pan Books, published 1955, page 8 - A blunt instrument such as a bludgeon or truncheon.
- UKdatedslangeducationThe cane.
There is no need here to digress on the advantages or otherwise of using a 'cosh' in schools […]
1959, Iona Opie, Peter Opie, The lore and language of schoolchildren, page 3741 more example
Often, he walked around the room with the cosh in his hand, taking slashes at legs that happened to stray sideways […]
2019, John Loveday, The Boy from Rod Alley, page 115
present singular third person coshes · participle present coshing · participle past coshed · past coshed
- transitiveTo strike with a weapon of this kind.
cosh2
comparative more cosh · superlative most cosh
cosh3
- uncountablehyperbolic cosine
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna piece of metal covered by leather with a flexible handle; used for hitting people
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Romanikošter“stick”
- Englishcosh
Probably from Romani košter (“stick”).
More words from Romani
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with cosh
Anagrams
Cite this entry
cosh. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cosh
“cosh.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cosh. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cosh,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cosh.
Source: cosh on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.