cock pilot
- noun
- Offensive
:
piloto temerario
- Only a cock pilot would attempt that stunt in bad weather.
Examples
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Many cock pilots ignore safety regulations.
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The way he handled the plane made him a true cock pilot.
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He's such a cock pilot, always taking reckless chances.
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The new recruit is a real cock pilot.
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He's such a cock pilot, always taking reckless chances.
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Only a cock pilot would attempt that stunt in bad weather.
-
Many cock pilots ignore safety regulations.
Synonyms
9
7.5
A young man who flies planes, often in the military and does daring stunts
Antonyms
How Reckless
- Offensive
- Offensive
85
7.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
cock + pilot
The compound meaning ('an inexperienced, reckless pilot') does not follow from the literal senses of the constituents: 'cock' (commonly a rooster or other unrelated senses) plus 'pilot' (aircraft operator) does not transparently yield 'reckless' or 'inexperienced'. This is a slang/idiomatic use of 'cock' that a B1 learner who only knows the basic meanings of the parts would not be able to predict, so the expression is opaque.
Etymology
Cock pilot likely comes from comparing cock, a proud rooster, with pilot, creating an image of a rooster strutting and taking foolish risks. So a cock pilot is a pilot who is 'too confident' and takes dangerous chances.