cockshy
Preserved but no longer current.
A game at fairs and races, where trinkets are set upon sticks, and for one penny three throws at them are accorded, the thrower keeping whatever he knocks off. From the ancient game of throwing or "shying" at live cocks. Any prominent person abused in the newspapers is said to be a common COCKSHY.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “cockshy” mean?
A game at fairs and races, where trinkets are set upon sticks, and for one penny three throws at them are accorded, the thrower keeping whatever he knocks off. From the ancient game of throwing or "shying" at live cocks. Any prominent person abused in the newspapers is said to be a common COCKSHY.
Is “cockshy” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.