cob1
/kɒb
/- The ‘Corncob Scarecrow’ requires students to contribute the most essential supplies for the project, corncobs and husks.
- Under the elevated train line along Roosevelt Avenue, cardboard turkeys and dried corncobs decorate storefront windows.
- This is a sort of British chowder, which is lovely eaten with a crusty cob, heavily spread with British butter.
- This year it was his crusty and soft rolls, Chelsea buns, and large crusty cobs which caught the adjudicator's eye resulting in a cache of trophies.
- At this time of the year fresh juicy walnuts and cobnuts are available.
- At yesterday's event, late-grown English strawberries, farm-pressed apple juice and sweet Kentish cobnuts were available.
- Dry floral scents are boosted by tangy citrus aromas that deliver fresh lemon tinged flavours with just a hint of cobnut on the finish.
- He just untied the pack mule from its tie to the back of the cob's saddle and led him along the cobblestone path.
- He owns a pair of cobs which pull the Romany caravan he built himself, and when the mood takes him they take to the road.
- The judge said: ‘This is a superb cob and a worthy champion.’
- The male swan, or cob was unable to free itself for three days after a fishing hook became embedded in its leg and the fishing line got wrapped around it.
- The founding member of the organisation said a male cob was mowed down as it crossed the road.
- There are ducks and cranes, and every few miles a cob and pen circle as only swans can in their own territory.
Origin
Late Middle English (denoting a strong man or leader): of unknown origin. The underlying general sense appears to be 'rounded, sturdy'.
A small word with many distinct meanings, among them a loaf of bread, the central part of an ear of corn, a male swan, and a short-legged horse. What these senses all have in common is probably the underlying idea of being stout, rounded, or sturdy. The word, which may be related to Old English copp ‘top or head’, was originally used to refer to a strong man or leader. Cobble (Late Middle English), a rounded stone used for paving, derives from cob. Cobbler (Middle English), ‘a person who mends shoes’, is unconnected, and its origin is not known, although it is related to cobble meaning ‘to repair shoes’ and ‘to assemble roughly’. Cobblers, ‘rubbish’, is rhyming slang from cobbler's awls, ‘balls’.
Rhymes
cob2
/kɒb/- Founders of urban ecovillage projects must usually forego any dreams of straw bale or cob structures, because building codes often are rigidly enforced.
- The remaining walls are made of cob, a mixture of sand, clay and straw.
- Earth building, such as cob, straw bale, and adobe, is gaining in popularity due to these homes' overall energy efficiency, longevity, beauty, and low environmental impact.
Origin
Early 17th century: of unknown origin.
cob3
/kɒb/- The band were great, although it seemed like the singer still had a cob on.
- He can be competitive in training and when he's got a cob on with someone, he lets you know.
- We especially liked his first goal because he had a cob on as only he can.
Origin
1930s: of unknown origin.