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What does “all senses cocked†mean?
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I found an article, titled “The mystery of people who speaks dozen of languages†written by Judith Thurman in the latest New Yorker (September 3 issue) very intriguing.
She introduces a 27-year old Peruvian linguist, Miguel Rojas-Bersia, a doctorial candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistic, who has good command of 22 living languages including English, French, German,Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Hakka Chines, Japanese, Korean, Serbian, Esperanto, and so on, 13 of which he speaks fluently and is versed to classic languages such as Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew. Thurman describes this young hyper polyglot as;
“He looks like any other laid-back young tourist, except for the
intense focus – all senses cocked –with which he takes in a new
environment. Linguistics is a formidable discipline.
I have no idea about the phrase, “all senses cocked,†and I checked several English dictionaries at hand as well as online dictionaries without avail.
What does “all senses cocked†mean? Is it a common English phrase?
phrase-meaning
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
I found an article, titled “The mystery of people who speaks dozen of languages†written by Judith Thurman in the latest New Yorker (September 3 issue) very intriguing.
She introduces a 27-year old Peruvian linguist, Miguel Rojas-Bersia, a doctorial candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistic, who has good command of 22 living languages including English, French, German,Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Hakka Chines, Japanese, Korean, Serbian, Esperanto, and so on, 13 of which he speaks fluently and is versed to classic languages such as Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew. Thurman describes this young hyper polyglot as;
“He looks like any other laid-back young tourist, except for the
intense focus – all senses cocked –with which he takes in a new
environment. Linguistics is a formidable discipline.
I have no idea about the phrase, “all senses cocked,†and I checked several English dictionaries at hand as well as online dictionaries without avail.
What does “all senses cocked†mean? Is it a common English phrase?
phrase-meaning
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
3
I do not recognize this as an idiom. There may be further insight in the dictionary under cock (verb): oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/…
– MetaEd♦
Aug 30 at 20:01
3
Well, according to the sentence structure, it means intensely focused...like an English Setter at the edge of a wood, all senses wide open...and ready, like a cocked gun, I think. So, I think it's a combo of both answers.
– KannE
Aug 30 at 20:49
3
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
– John Lawler
Aug 30 at 21:45
@JohnLawler: You might want to leave that as an answer, and merge the relevant other information into your own answer as well.
– V2Blast
Aug 31 at 7:13
add a comment |Â
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
I found an article, titled “The mystery of people who speaks dozen of languages†written by Judith Thurman in the latest New Yorker (September 3 issue) very intriguing.
She introduces a 27-year old Peruvian linguist, Miguel Rojas-Bersia, a doctorial candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistic, who has good command of 22 living languages including English, French, German,Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Hakka Chines, Japanese, Korean, Serbian, Esperanto, and so on, 13 of which he speaks fluently and is versed to classic languages such as Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew. Thurman describes this young hyper polyglot as;
“He looks like any other laid-back young tourist, except for the
intense focus – all senses cocked –with which he takes in a new
environment. Linguistics is a formidable discipline.
I have no idea about the phrase, “all senses cocked,†and I checked several English dictionaries at hand as well as online dictionaries without avail.
What does “all senses cocked†mean? Is it a common English phrase?
phrase-meaning
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
I found an article, titled “The mystery of people who speaks dozen of languages†written by Judith Thurman in the latest New Yorker (September 3 issue) very intriguing.
She introduces a 27-year old Peruvian linguist, Miguel Rojas-Bersia, a doctorial candidate at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistic, who has good command of 22 living languages including English, French, German,Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Hakka Chines, Japanese, Korean, Serbian, Esperanto, and so on, 13 of which he speaks fluently and is versed to classic languages such as Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew. Thurman describes this young hyper polyglot as;
“He looks like any other laid-back young tourist, except for the
intense focus – all senses cocked –with which he takes in a new
environment. Linguistics is a formidable discipline.
I have no idea about the phrase, “all senses cocked,†and I checked several English dictionaries at hand as well as online dictionaries without avail.
What does “all senses cocked†mean? Is it a common English phrase?
phrase-meaning
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
edited Aug 30 at 20:38
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
asked Aug 30 at 19:57
Yoichi Oishi♦
34.4k104348719
34.4k104348719
3
I do not recognize this as an idiom. There may be further insight in the dictionary under cock (verb): oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/…
– MetaEd♦
Aug 30 at 20:01
3
Well, according to the sentence structure, it means intensely focused...like an English Setter at the edge of a wood, all senses wide open...and ready, like a cocked gun, I think. So, I think it's a combo of both answers.
– KannE
Aug 30 at 20:49
3
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
– John Lawler
Aug 30 at 21:45
@JohnLawler: You might want to leave that as an answer, and merge the relevant other information into your own answer as well.
– V2Blast
Aug 31 at 7:13
add a comment |Â
3
I do not recognize this as an idiom. There may be further insight in the dictionary under cock (verb): oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/…
– MetaEd♦
Aug 30 at 20:01
3
Well, according to the sentence structure, it means intensely focused...like an English Setter at the edge of a wood, all senses wide open...and ready, like a cocked gun, I think. So, I think it's a combo of both answers.
– KannE
Aug 30 at 20:49
3
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
– John Lawler
Aug 30 at 21:45
@JohnLawler: You might want to leave that as an answer, and merge the relevant other information into your own answer as well.
– V2Blast
Aug 31 at 7:13
3
3
I do not recognize this as an idiom. There may be further insight in the dictionary under cock (verb): oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/…
– MetaEd♦
Aug 30 at 20:01
I do not recognize this as an idiom. There may be further insight in the dictionary under cock (verb): oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/…
– MetaEd♦
Aug 30 at 20:01
3
3
Well, according to the sentence structure, it means intensely focused...like an English Setter at the edge of a wood, all senses wide open...and ready, like a cocked gun, I think. So, I think it's a combo of both answers.
– KannE
Aug 30 at 20:49
Well, according to the sentence structure, it means intensely focused...like an English Setter at the edge of a wood, all senses wide open...and ready, like a cocked gun, I think. So, I think it's a combo of both answers.
– KannE
Aug 30 at 20:49
3
3
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
– John Lawler
Aug 30 at 21:45
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
– John Lawler
Aug 30 at 21:45
@JohnLawler: You might want to leave that as an answer, and merge the relevant other information into your own answer as well.
– V2Blast
Aug 31 at 7:13
@JohnLawler: You might want to leave that as an answer, and merge the relevant other information into your own answer as well.
– V2Blast
Aug 31 at 7:13
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
35
down vote
This probably comes from the phrase 'cocking the gun' which means to ready the gun to fire. 'Senses cocked' would then translate to very alert or charged senses.
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
2
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
add a comment |Â
up vote
21
down vote
It's not unusual to cock your head, or sometimes to cock your ears to hear something better. Collins (senses 3/4) says that this use is a synonym of prick up or point, so that only animals can genuinely cock their ears, and birds frequently cock their heads, whether male or female. Cocking all senses is an extension of this - whether an exciting metaphor or a step too far from someone who doesn't know the derivation is a personal choice.
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
5
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
1
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
1
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
In a comment, John Lawler wrote:
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
35
down vote
This probably comes from the phrase 'cocking the gun' which means to ready the gun to fire. 'Senses cocked' would then translate to very alert or charged senses.
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
2
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
add a comment |Â
up vote
35
down vote
This probably comes from the phrase 'cocking the gun' which means to ready the gun to fire. 'Senses cocked' would then translate to very alert or charged senses.
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
2
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
add a comment |Â
up vote
35
down vote
up vote
35
down vote
This probably comes from the phrase 'cocking the gun' which means to ready the gun to fire. 'Senses cocked' would then translate to very alert or charged senses.
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
This probably comes from the phrase 'cocking the gun' which means to ready the gun to fire. 'Senses cocked' would then translate to very alert or charged senses.
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
answered Aug 30 at 20:04
ndp2018
30913
30913
2
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
add a comment |Â
2
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
2
2
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
I agree that it means all senses are alert (+1) It could also be a reference back to the idioms of cocking an ear or an eye.
– S Conroy
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
Here is an example of where it was used: blogginboutbooks.com/2009/12
– Lumberjack
Aug 30 at 20:10
add a comment |Â
up vote
21
down vote
It's not unusual to cock your head, or sometimes to cock your ears to hear something better. Collins (senses 3/4) says that this use is a synonym of prick up or point, so that only animals can genuinely cock their ears, and birds frequently cock their heads, whether male or female. Cocking all senses is an extension of this - whether an exciting metaphor or a step too far from someone who doesn't know the derivation is a personal choice.
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
5
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
1
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
1
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
add a comment |Â
up vote
21
down vote
It's not unusual to cock your head, or sometimes to cock your ears to hear something better. Collins (senses 3/4) says that this use is a synonym of prick up or point, so that only animals can genuinely cock their ears, and birds frequently cock their heads, whether male or female. Cocking all senses is an extension of this - whether an exciting metaphor or a step too far from someone who doesn't know the derivation is a personal choice.
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
5
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
1
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
1
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
add a comment |Â
up vote
21
down vote
up vote
21
down vote
It's not unusual to cock your head, or sometimes to cock your ears to hear something better. Collins (senses 3/4) says that this use is a synonym of prick up or point, so that only animals can genuinely cock their ears, and birds frequently cock their heads, whether male or female. Cocking all senses is an extension of this - whether an exciting metaphor or a step too far from someone who doesn't know the derivation is a personal choice.
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
It's not unusual to cock your head, or sometimes to cock your ears to hear something better. Collins (senses 3/4) says that this use is a synonym of prick up or point, so that only animals can genuinely cock their ears, and birds frequently cock their heads, whether male or female. Cocking all senses is an extension of this - whether an exciting metaphor or a step too far from someone who doesn't know the derivation is a personal choice.
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
answered Aug 30 at 20:11
TimLymington
32.1k770138
32.1k770138
5
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
1
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
1
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
add a comment |Â
5
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
1
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
1
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
5
5
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
To me it doesn't suggest this sense of cock, but (as ndp2018 says) cocking a gun.
– Colin Fine
Aug 30 at 20:33
1
1
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
I agree, in this context I would associate this phrase with the idiom "cock your/an ear", meaning "listen carefully". In this case, the young linguist isn't just alert to sound, but alert to all sensory input.
– 1006a
Aug 30 at 21:43
1
1
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
Maybe, as they say, "A little column A, a little column B". Rather poetic, really.
– Darren Ringer
Aug 31 at 17:54
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
In a comment, John Lawler wrote:
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
In a comment, John Lawler wrote:
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
In a comment, John Lawler wrote:
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
In a comment, John Lawler wrote:
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
answered Sep 2 at 2:37
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3
I do not recognize this as an idiom. There may be further insight in the dictionary under cock (verb): oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/…
– MetaEd♦
Aug 30 at 20:01
3
Well, according to the sentence structure, it means intensely focused...like an English Setter at the edge of a wood, all senses wide open...and ready, like a cocked gun, I think. So, I think it's a combo of both answers.
– KannE
Aug 30 at 20:49
3
The OED says both the sense of cock the head/hat and the sense of cock the hammer/pistol come from the characteristic motion (and in the case of early firearms, the characteristic shape) of a cock's head. Roosters used to be more obvious and common as examples for metaphors than they are today.
– John Lawler
Aug 30 at 21:45
@JohnLawler: You might want to leave that as an answer, and merge the relevant other information into your own answer as well.
– V2Blast
Aug 31 at 7:13