Coxcomb

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Coxcomb \Cox"comb`\ (k?ks"k?m`), n. [A corrupted spelling of
     cock's comb.]
     1.
        (a) A strip of red cloth notched like the comb of a cock,
            which licensed jesters formerly wore in their caps.
        (b) The cap itself.


            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The top of the head, or the head itself.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              We will belabor you a little better,
              And beat a little more care into your coxcombs.
                                                    --Beau & Fl.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A vain, showy fellow; a conceited, silly man, fond of
        display; a superficial pretender to knowledge or
        accomplishments; a fop.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Fond to be seen, she kept a bevy
              Of powdered coxcombs at her levee.    --Goldsmith.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Some are bewildered in the maze of schools,
              And some made coxcombs, nature meant but fools.
                                                    --Pope.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. (Bot.) A name given to several plants of different genera,
        but particularly to {Celosia cristata}, or garden
        cockscomb. Same as {Cockscomb}.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  coxcomb
       n 1: a conceited dandy who is overly impressed by his own
            accomplishments [syn: {cockscomb}]
       2: a cap worn by court jesters; adorned with a strip of red
          [syn: {cockscomb}]
       3: the fleshy red crest on the head of the domestic fowl and
          other gallinaceous birds [syn: {comb}, {cockscomb}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  31 Moby Thesaurus words for "coxcomb":
     Beau Brummel, beau, bladder, blade, blood, boulevardier, buck,
     cap and bells, clotheshorse, dandy, dude, exquisite, fashion plate,
     fine gentleman, fop, fribble, gallant, jack-a-dandy, jackanapes,
     lady-killer, lounge lizard, macaroni, man-about-town, masher,
     motley, puppy, slapstick, sock, spark, sport, swell