cog

1 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a tooth on the rim of a wheel or gear
2
: a subordinate but integral person or part
cogged adjective

cog

2 of 5

verb (1)

cogged; cogging

intransitive verb

1
obsolete : to cheat in throwing dice
2
obsolete : deceive
3
obsolete : to use venal flattery

transitive verb

1
: to direct the fall of (dice) fraudulently
2
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

noun (2)

: a tenon on a beam or timber

cog

5 of 5

abbreviation

cognate

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
Key cogs Butler, Trammell and Micah Parrish all are hitting a lower rate from 3 than a season ago. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2024 In its 10 years of operation, Grindr had amassed millions of users and become a central cog in gay culture around the globe. Byron Tau, WIRED, 27 Feb. 2024 Most players, with a few exceptions, are simply cogs in a giant blue machine. Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Editors’ Picks The Essential James Baldwin Trainee doctors are a crucial cog in the medical system in South Korea. Jin Yu Young, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 Another key cog in CodePath’s machine is its use of Duet AI in Google Workspace. Steven Aquino, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 For a pitcher who just signed a nine-figure contract extension, who has been mentioned as one of the best natural talents in baseball, and who figures to be one of the key cogs for this season’s Dodgers team, Tyler Glasnow’s personal goals for 2024 might seem rather modest. Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 16 Feb. 2024 Wielded by cast members, the cogs become shields, revolving doors and spinning wheels of fate. Rebecca Ritzel, Washington Post, 13 Feb. 2024 Buggs was a key cog on the Lions' defensive line last season, starting 13 games and playing a key role as a run-stopper late in the year. Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, 2 Jan. 2024

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

Dictionary Entries Near cog

Cite this Entry

“Cog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cog. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cog

noun
ˈkäg
1
: a tooth on the rim of a wheel adjusted to fit notches in another wheel or bar and to give or receive motion
2
: a person whose job is of low rank but still important
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