cock-a-hoop
/'kɔkə'hu:p/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective: - Exhibiting self-importance; boastful or triumphantly elated: Describes a state of being extremely pleased, proud, and boastful, often in a way that is showy or overly confident.
Usage
This adjective is used to describe a person's manner or attitude when they are feeling and showing great pride, joy, or triumph, typically after a success. It often carries a connotation of being somewhat boastful or excessively pleased with oneself.
Examples
- After winning the championship, the team was cock-a-hoop, celebrating loudly all night.
- She was cock-a-hoop about her promotion and couldn't stop telling everyone.
- His cock-a-hoop attitude after the small victory annoyed his more humble colleagues.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in predicative position (e.g., "He was cock-a-hoop") rather than attributively before a noun.
- It can describe a temporary state of exultation. The feeling is usually a direct reaction to a specific event or piece of news.
Variants and Related Words
- Cock-a-hoop is a fixed compound adjective. There are no direct variants (like ), but the state can be described with the phrase in a cock-a-hoop manner.
- Cocky (adj): Overly self-confident or arrogant. While related, "cocky" describes a general arrogant attitude, not necessarily a temporary state of triumphant joy.
Synonyms
- Elated: In high spirits, ecstatically happy.
- Jubilant: Feeling or expressing great happiness and triumph.
- Exultant: Triumphantly happy.
- Boastful: Showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements.
Antonyms
- Crestfallen: Sad and disappointed.
- Abashed: Embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed.
- Humble: Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
Idioms and Phrases
- Cock-a-hoop itself functions as an idiomatic adjective. It originates from the older phrase "to set cock-a-hoop," which meant to be in a state of riotous celebration or to let things get out of control.
- Example (historical context): After the old king died, the nobles set the kingdom cock-a-hoop with their feuding.
Adjective
- exhibiting self-importance
- big talk