cog

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈkäg

Synonyms of cog next

: a tooth on the rim of a wheel or gear

: a subordinate but integral person or part

cogged

ˈkägd

adjective

cog

2 of 5

verb (1)

cogged; cogging

intransitive verb

obsolete : to cheat in throwing dice

obsolete : deceive

obsolete : to use venal flattery

transitive verb

: to direct the fall of (dice) fraudulently

obsolete : wheedle

cog

3 of 5

verb (2)

cogged; cogging

transitive verb

: to connect (timbers, joists, etc.) by means of mortises and tenons

cog

4 of 5

Examples of cog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On Windows, click the Settings cog icon on the Start menu, then choose Apps. —

David Nield, Popular Science, 3 May 2023 But while some WebEx employees took their earnings and split — wary of making the transition from fast-growing startup to cog in a Fortune 500 corporation — Yuan stuck around. —

Ken Fowler, CNN, 23 Nov. 2020

Noun

First team Dylan Adams, Chesapeake-AA, senior, pitcher Adams was a key cog in helping the Cougars reach the Class 3A state championship game, going 6-2 with a 1.80 ERA and batting .383 with a .921 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS), three home runs and 27 RBIs. —

Todd Karpovich, Baltimore Sun, 21 June 2024 Miller was key cog during TCU’s basketball best stretch in program history with three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. —

Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for cog

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English cogge, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish kugge cog

Verb (1)

obsolete cog a trick

Verb (2)

probably alteration of cock to cog

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

1532, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1823, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of cog was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Cog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cog. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

cog

noun

ˈkäg

: a tooth on the rim of a wheel adjusted to fit notches in another wheel or bar and to give or receive motion

: a person whose job is of low rank but still important

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

patriot

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

cog