cocklyadj.1
/ˈkɒkl̩i/, /ˈkɒkli/, U.S. /ˈkɑkli/ With reference to material such as cloth, glass, or (now esp.) paper: full of or characterized by bulges, wrinkles, creases, or other blemishes; puckered. Cf. cockle n.3, cockled adj.2
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > shape > unevenness > [adjective]
unevenc1275
rudea1393
craggeda1400
knaggedc1430
raggedc1450
raggy1483
cocklya1529
rugged1528
knaggy1552
unlevel?a1560
craggy1568
scraggy1574
balkish1577
cockling1582
cockled1600
unequal1613
salebrous1633
scragged1641
inequal1661
unevenly1683
hummocky1767
snaggly1794
snaggy1806
hobblya1825
shreddy1835
scraggly1869
bobbly1909
pebbly1923
snaggled1938
a1529 J. Skelton Why come ye nat to Courte (?1545) 285 Nat worth a cockly fose.
1656 W. Smith Golden Fleece v. 33 The Cloth which is made of such disproportioned Stuffe, doth render it uneven, cockly, pursey, and rewey.
1706 J. Haynes View Present State Clothing Trade 84 For want of judgment in sorting of the Yarn.., they frequently make rouey or Cockly Cloth.
1894 J. Dunbar Notes Manuf. Wood Pulp & Wood-pulp Papers 58 With the horizontal system, we have the pulleys covered with pieces of felt, which continually keep coming off or sticking to each other, and forming lumps upon the pulley, thus making a very unsteady drive, which..makes ‘cockly’ paper.
1921 Textile World 26 Feb. 39/3 The cockly appearance is due to the fancy herringbone pattern not being properly constructed according to the usual practice.
1998 J. N. Balston Whatmans & Wove Paper i. 24 Very wet stuff tends to produce stiff cockly paper.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2019; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
cocklyadj.2
/ˈkɒkl̩i/, /ˈkɒkli/, U.S. /ˈkɑkli/, Scottish English /ˈkɔkl̩ɪ/, /ˈkɔklɪ/ Scottish and English regional (northern and midlands).
Unsteady, tottering; rickety, shaky, unstable; = cocklety adj. Cf. cockle v.3
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [adjective] > dilapidated or ruinous > rickety
seely1562
crazy1583
ramshackled1675
creachy1715
rickly1715
rickety1741
palsified1775
shackling1790
ramshackling1815
paralytic1824
rackety1824
rattletrap1824
cocklety1828
ramshackle1830
shickery?1833
shackly1843
shattery1844
shaky1850
ramshackly1857
cockly1859
rachitic1864
ruckly1866
tumble-over1883
palsied1889
rattle-bag1896
shauchly1896
bockety1902
ruggy1929
rickety-rackety1931
ropy1942
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [adjective] > tottering
tolter1423
totterc1480
totteringa1535
cockering1553
tottered1626
cockling1634
nodding1693
cockery1825
cocklety1828
rickety1832
cockly1859
cockerty1895
the world > movement > motion in specific manner > irregular movement or agitation > unsteady movement > [adjective] > tottering > unstable
unstable1390
unsteadfasta1400
tickle1515
unstayed1594
unsteady1598
shittle1601
firmless1605
flitty1642
totty1652
shuttlec1682
unfirm1697
wankly1795
wankya1825
cockery1825
wobbly1833
tottlish1835
earthquaky1837
tottling1849
shaky1850
cockly1859
unsteadied1865
shoggy1866
wankle1869
wibblety-wobblety1877
cockerty1895
tipsy1895
rocky1900
wibbly-wobbly1901
tottly1905
topply1913
wibbly1914
1859 W. Dickinson Gloss. Words & Phrases Cumberland 22 Cockly, unsteady, on a precarious foundation.
1883 Weyvers awn Comic Olmenac (Pudsey) 26 As t'stooil wor a bit cockly he had ta be careful ov his movements.
1898 I. Wilkinson in Eng. Dial. Dict. I. 687/1 [North Yorkshire] That teeable is nobbut cockly.
1988 G. Lamb Orkney Wordbk. Cockly, liable to fall.
1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw: Lincs. Dial. Dict. 64/1 Cockly, rickety.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2019; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.1a1529adj.21859