One syllable: cocked.
kahkt
/kɑkt/
cocked is pronounced kahkt (/kɑkt/). It has one syllable (cocked), with the stress on "cocked". Cocked is the past participle and adjective form of cock, meaning turned or angled upward, as in a firearm’s hammer or a hat brim tilted. It can describe something prepared or arranged in a specific orientation, often with a connotation of readiness or intent. In pronunciation, it is a closed, single-syllable word with a short, clipped vowel followed by a final /t/ sound.
Cocked is the past participle and adjective form of cock, meaning turned or angled upward, as in a firearm’s hammer or a hat brim tilted. It can describe something prepared or arranged in a specific orientation, often with a connotation of readiness or intent. In pronunciation, it is a closed, single-syllable word with a short, clipped vowel followed by a final /t/ sound.
"The gun was cocked and ready."
"She cocked her head to listen more closely."
"The hat was cocked at a jaunty angle."
Pronounce it as /kɒkt/ (US, UK, AU). The initial /k/ is a hard, voiceless stop. The vowel is a short, back /ɒ/ (like 'cot' in non-rhotic regions); then a clean /k/ release into the final /t/. Keep the tongue high at the back of the mouth for the vowel, and finish with a crisp /t/ release. For many speakers, the /t/ can be lightly aspirated in slow speech or unreleased in rapid speech.
Two frequent errors: (1) Vowel confusion: using /ɑ/ or /ɔ/ in places where /ɒ/ should be; ensure your mouth is rounded but not too wide, with the back of the tongue lowered. (2) Final /t/ issues: some speakers drop or lightly vocalize the /t/ or blend into a /d/ (cocked → cocked with a soft d). Focus on a crisp, released /t/; avoid vowel-lengthening that makes it sound like 'corked'. Practice with minimal pairs to anchor the /ɒ/ and /t/ separation.
In US English, /kɒkt/ often has a slightly tensed final /t/ with clear release. UK English tends to a non-rhotic environment; the vowel /ɒ/ is like the vowel in 'lot', with a crisp /t/ release. Australian English also uses /ɒ/ but may have a rounded, more open vowel and sometimes a t-voicing difference in rapid speech. Across all, the main variance is vowel quality and whether the /t/ is pronounced with a full release or a glottal stop in casual speech.
The difficulty lies in the tight local articulation: a short, high-front or back vowel with a tight jaw position followed by a precise /kt/ sequence. The double stop consonants can push the tip of the tongue toward the alveolar ridge quickly, risking a transitional vowel or a slushy /t/. Mastering a clean /k/–/t/ release without voicing or vowel lengthening requires precise control of tongue height, backness, and air pressure.
A unique feature is the unreleased or partially released final /t/ in rapid speech or certain accents. In some American dialects, you may hear a subtle alveolar tap or a softer end as part of connected speech, which can blur the final /t/. Being aware of whether your target accent uses a hard final /t/ or a glottal stop will help you adjust au courant. Practicing both released and unreleased variants across contexts will improve versatility.
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Cocked comes from cock, meaning a mechanical lever or device that raises or tilts something, with the past participle form -ed. The root word cock likely derives from Old English cocca or cocc, which referred to a hurdle or peak-like projection and later broadened to mean to tilt or lift in Middle English. The verb cocking (to tilt or raise) has long been used in mechanical contexts (cock a gun, cock a hammer). By the 16th–17th centuries, cock as a verb took on idiomatic senses meaning to tilt the head or brim of a hat, or to position something for a particular vantage. The transfer to “cocked” as a descriptive adjective for weapons or headwear hinged on the same imagery of raised or prepared orientation. In modern usage, cocked retains a sense of readiness and deliberate positioning, whether literal (a hammer cocked) or metaphorical (a plan cocked for execution). The term has also entered broader slang, retaining the core notion of being poised or angled with intent. First known uses appear in firearm-related and archery contexts in early modern texts, with extended metaphorical usage appearing in descriptions and dialogues by the 17th–18th centuries, solidifying the sense of poised readiness in English usage.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "cocked" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "cocked"
-ked sounds
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