cock feather

plural cock feathers · alternative cock-feather · alternative cockfeather

1. One of the feathers on an arrow that is placed at right angles to the nock on the bow, usually having a different color than the other feathers so that it is easily identified.

   Most longbow shooters I know, myself included, nock the arrow with the cock feather facing away from the bow.

   2014, Brian J. Sorrells, Guide to the Longbow, page 109

   2 more examples

   Reverse the arrow on the shelf of the bow so that the cock feather, which normally faces outward, is now up against the riser in full contact.

   2011, Sam Fadala, Traditional Archery, page 147

   He took an arrow from the quiver, which he turned in his fingers, then placed the nock into the string with the cock feather away from his hand.

   2012, Jak. E. Rander, An Eye for an Eye, page 133

2. The tailfeather of a cock.

   She wore a pale, irridescent dress with a cock feather hat and a tiny crystal heart on a chain.

   1978, Room of One's Own - Volume 4, page 157

   2 more examples

   A big, burly country squire, with red shaven cheeks, in a green jacket and a green hat with a cock feather, walks around, looks at everything severely.

   1945, Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, The Making of Russia, page 41

   Technically, an engaged man could still wear a kosířek, the white cock feather in his hat meant to impress girls and prove his masculinity, but as soon as he was married he would remove the feather.

   2016, Timothy Cheek, Jenufa: Translations and Pronunciation, page 28