I don't know anything (much) about word derivations, but I know a little about archery (I hunt deer with a bow). I have to question the theory that "cock-up" came from nocking an arrow incorrectly. As was explained by doc_comfort, the feathers (fletches) are arranged in 120-degree increments around the arrow shaft. When you nock an arrow you hold the bow horizontally, and the correct way to position the arrow is with the cock (feather) up. So...with this theory "cock-up" should have come to mean "done correctly"! If you wish to consider the phrase from the vertical bow position, the correct way would be "cock-left" (for a rightie), and the wrong position would be "cock-right." Of course this may all be a bunch of "cock and bull"! [grin]
I don't know a word that means the act of shooting a bow. Does anyone know where the word "nock" came from? Maybe I'll look it up!
Robert
