cock-a-loft,a.colloq. [Formed by vague association with cock v.1, and such compounds as cockalorum, cock-a-hoop, cock-horse, cock-loft.] Affectedly lofty, stuck up. 1862Mrs. H. Wood Mrs. Hallib. ii. xii. (1862) 212 Some rubbishing cock-aloft notion of ‘doing right’!