Does Marilyn Evergreen sound stupid to you?

[Kumquatqueen]

My wife worked with a guy named Glasscock. He had daughters.

The British surnames Cockburn and Cockshott are pronounced (and often end up being spelled) Coburn and Coshott. And -bottom at the end of names, meaning a valley, is often pronounced 'botham'. Not to mention the people called Smellie who have become Smiley or Smillie over the years - both Smellie and Onions have nearly vanished over the last 100 years. And famously, John Cleese's original surname was Cheese.

I can only assume that cock in a name wasn't considered so funny a century ago. A friend of a friend with the surname Sandicock was known to all and sundry as Grittywilly...

 

[Dodola]

My wife worked with a guy named Glasscock. He had daughters.

I went to elementary school with a boy named Adam Baum.

 

[Writer61]

I can only assume that cock in a name wasn't considered so funny a century ago. A friend of a friend with the surname Sandicock was known to all and sundry as Grittywilly...

Chambers dictionary lists 11 meanings of cock, only two of which are vulgar.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

A radiator drain is a pet cock.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Actually, lesbians have claimed the word Dyke, as gay men have claimed the word Queen.

I think you're referring to the word "dyke?" Now that I've looked it up I see it is a derogatory term. My apologies if I caused offence. I only knew it was used in the context of women, and it fit well with the blockage of water.

As a non-native speaker I would like to know how to place it. Is it that severe? How does it differ from derogatory terms like "whore?"

 

[Writer61]

A radiator drain is a pet cock.

A tap is one of the meanings of cock, which leads to cock-up, supposedly from when a bad batch of beer has to be drained from the barrel.