cod’s head n.
1. a dupe, a fool; thus lit. the fool’s head; also found in 19C as cod’s head and shoulders.
(trans.) Erasmus Praise of Folie (1509) 83: But this notwithstandyng, the other coddes heddes in the meane while stande moste pleasauntly in theyr owne grace, or verilier stroke theim selues on the head. | ||
Supposes II i: He that fisheth for him might be sure to catch a cod’s head. | (trans.)||
Appius and Virginia in (1908) 12: You cod’s-head, you crack-rope, you chattering pie. | ||
Death and Buriall of Martin Mar-Prelate in Works I (1883–4) 201: Play still the desperate and shameles Swadds as you haue begonn; for you couch your Coddheads. | ||
Lamentable Tragedie of Locrine III iv: Why then, goodman cods-head, if you will haue none of me, farewell. | ||
Ile of Guls II i: Will the Cods head bite? | ||
Four Plays in Works of Beaumont & Fletcher (1912) X 300: Sweet Corporall codshead, no more standing on your punctilio’s and punketto’s of honor. | ||
Wonder of a Kingdom I ii: No fish bites at the baite of my poore beautie, but this tough Cods-head? | ||
Renegado III iv: Prethee let’s haue some sport, With this fresh Codshead. | ||
Lady Alimony V iii: Barren, you cods-head! | ||
Eng. Rogue I 325: This struck my young Gentleman as mute as a Cods-head. | ||
Woman Turn’d Bully II i: Farewell, Cods-head. | ||
London-Bawd (1705) 3: Of a Countrey-Gentleman she makes a Cods-head. | ||
Miseries of Whoring 158: The codsheads shall / Out of their wonton Understanding call / This young Man to that Post of trust and care. | ||
New Canting Dict. | ||
, , , | Universal Etym. Eng. Dict. | |
Homer Travestie (1764) II 101: O warriors! cries this head of cod, / I’ll smoke great Hector’s hide, by g—d. | ||
Burlesque Homer (3rd edn) 288: [as cit. 1762]. | ||
Burlesque Homer (4th edn) II 232: [He] / Gave his cod’s head a mighty shake. | ||
Diverting Hist. of John Bull and Brother Jonathan 65: She called him prating gabbler, liquorish glutton [...] codshead booby, noddipeak simpleton, ninnihammer gnatsnapper, and various other names. | ||
Edinbury Gleaner 55: Some are call’d Cod’s heads, wanting brains. | ||
Satirist (London) 30 Oct. 235/2: This learned dissertation was suddenly put a stop to, by poor Codshead [a fishmonger] putting his hand in his pocket for his handkerchief, and drawing forth his blue apron. | ||
Andrew Jackson 33: It needed somethin more than a cod’s-head to manage, with such leger-de-main and hocus-pocus. | ||
Young Tom Hall (1926) 218: She thought him a queerish-looking, cod’s-head-and-shoulders little man. | ||
Bleak House (1991) 79: ‘Why, what a cod’s head and shoulders I am,’ said Mr. Jarndyce. | ||
‘The Stirabout Pot’ My Young Wife and I Songster 38: Oh, my cod’s head’s stewing in her pot. | ||
Cornishman 27 July 6/2: Ben, clodpate, cod’s-head, corky-brained [...] are all synonyous, in the language of the canting crew, for fool. | ||
Sport (Adelaide) 1 May 4/2: [as a nickname] They are waiting for Codshead W to return. |
2. see cod n.3