Chapter 1 - page 6
cocksureness
"Some time passed, and confidence began to be replaced by cocksureness."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 6
In this sentence the word cocksureness functions as a noun. 2
The word 'cocksure' comes from combining 'cock' and 'sure.' 'Cock' first meant a male bird. Male birds like roosters, turkeys, grouse, and peafowl strut to attract mates and show dominance, especially during breeding season. They puff up their feathers, fan their tails, and show off their neck ruffs to look bigger and impress females, while also warning other males. In Old English, 'cocc' described someone who strutted like a cock, and later it became a general word for a man. 'Sure' meant being safe from attack. The term 'cocksure' might have started with religious oaths, where people said 'cock' instead of 'God' to avoid what was seen as blasphemy. Over time, the word came to mean someone who is overly confident or arrogant, probably as 'assured as a cock.' Today, the term "cocky" is often used to describe an arrogant person. 4
Definition from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
to attract peahens and establish their dominance over other males.
This behavior is called peacocking.
public domain CC0 photo
gin mills
"I could laugh at the gin mills."
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Big Book - Bill's Story - page 6
In this sentence the word gin-mills functions as a noun.
2
The slag term Gin Mill is used to describe a drinking establishment. Also known was a saloon, bar, taproom, watering hole, honky-tonk.
Definition from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
Manhattan, New York - Date Unknown
from Library of Congress - Public Domain
remorse, horror, hopelessness
"The remorse, horror and hopelessness of the next morning are unforgettable."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 6
In this sentence the words the words remorse, horror, and hopelessness function as nouns. 2
Definitions from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
writhing
"My writhing nerves were stilled at last."
1
Big Book - Bill's Story - page 6
In this sentence the word writhing functions as an adjective. 2
My twisting distorting nerves
Definition from Webster's 1930 edition. 3
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Footnotes for page 6
1Quotes from the Big Book on listed on this page are from the public domain version, in the United States, of the 2nd edition of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. Accessible at 12step.org
2Sentence diagramming, to determine the word usage within the sentence, was performed by CoreNLP at corenlp.run.
3Definitions used are from the Webster's New International Dictionary of the English Language 1930 Edition. Access to this dictionary online is at Hathitrust.org
4resources used for definition: etymonline online etymology dictionary and from Oxford English Dictionary.