cock-sure

I'm cock-sure my team will win the game.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Overconfident or arrogantly certain: "cock-sure" describes a person who is excessively and confidently sure of themselves, often to the point of being presumptuous or arrogant.
   • Absolutely certain (sometimes with a hint of boastfulness): It can also mean being completely convinced about something, but with a tone of unwarranted self-assurance.

Usage Examples

• Overconfident:

  • He was so cock-sure about winning the race that he didn't even train properly. (He was arrogantly confident, leading to a lack of preparation.)
  • Her cock-sure attitude annoyed her colleagues, as she never considered other viewpoints. (Her excessive self-assurance was irritating.)

• Absolutely certain:

  • I’m cock-sure that he will arrive on time; he’s never late. (I am completely convinced, though perhaps boastfully so.)
  • She was cock-sure of her answer, even though she had not studied the topic thoroughly. (She was overconfident in her correctness.)

Advanced Usage

• "cock-sure of oneself": to have an exaggerated belief in one’s own abilities or knowledge.

  • The young lawyer was cock-sure of himself, dismissing the judge’s advice. (He was arrogantly self-assured.)

• "cock-sure about something": to be absolutely certain, often without sufficient evidence.

  • He was cock-sure about the outcome of the election, but the results surprised everyone. (He was overconfidently certain.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cocksureness (noun): the state or quality of being cock-sure.

  • His cocksureness made him unpopular among his peers. (His overconfidence caused dislike.)

• Cocksure (adverb, rare): in a cock-sure manner.

  • He spoke cocksure, as if he already knew the answer. (He spoke with arrogant confidence.)

Synonyms

• Arrogant: having an exaggerated sense of one’s own importance or abilities.
• Overconfident: excessively confident, often without justification.
• Presumptuous: behaving too confidently, especially in a way that is disrespectful.

Related Idioms

• "Too big for one’s boots": to be overly self-important or cock-sure.

  • Since his promotion, he’s been too big for his boots, acting cock-sure about everything. (He is arrogantly confident.)

• "Full of oneself": to be excessively self-satisfied or cock-sure.

  • She was so full of herself that she never listened to advice. (She was overconfident and self-absorbed.)