Billycock Hat
Preserved but no longer current.
A round, low- crowned, soft felt hat with a wide brim. One account says that the name is the same as "bully-cocked," that is, cocked in the manner of a bully, or swell, a term which was applied to a hat in the description of an Oxford dandy in Amherst's Terra Films (1721). Another account says that it was first used by Billy Coke (Mr.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Billycock Hat” mean?
A round, low- crowned, soft felt hat with a wide brim. One account says that the name is the same as "bully-cocked," that is, cocked in the manner of a bully, or swell, a term which was applied to a hat in the description of an Oxford dandy in Amherst's Terra Films (1721). Another account says that it was first used by Billy Coke (Mr.
Is “Billycock Hat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.