Definition

1. Noun:
   • Adult male swan: A "cob" is the term for a fully grown male swan, as opposed to the female (pen) or young (cygnet).
   • Stocky short-legged harness horse: A "cob" refers to a type of horse that is strong, solidly built, and has relatively short legs, often used for riding or light driving.
   • The hard central core of an ear of maize (corn): A "cob" is the cylindrical, woody part on which the kernels of corn grow.
   • A rounded lump or mass: A "cob" can describe a small, roundish piece of something, such as coal or bread.
   • A hazelnut or filbert: The nut of trees from the genus Corylus, such as the hazel tree.
   • A building material: A mixture of clay, straw, and sometimes sand, used in traditional building construction.

Usage Examples

• Adult male swan:
  • The cob fiercely defended the nest from intruders.
• Stocky horse:
  • She rides a gentle cob that is perfect for trails.
• Corn core:
  • After dinner, the corn cobs were added to the compost pile.
• Rounded lump:
  • He threw a cob of coal onto the fire.
  • We shared a warm cob of bread.
• Hazelnut:
  • The recipe calls for a handful of chopped cobs.
• Building material:
  • The old cottage had walls made of cob.

Advanced Usage

• "Corn on the cob": This is a common phrase referring to an ear of maize (corn) when cooked and served with the kernels still attached to the core.
  • We had corn on the cob at the summer barbecue.
• "Cob loaf": Refers to a round, crusty loaf of bread.
  • She served the soup with a fresh cob loaf.

Variants and Related Words

• Cobnut (n): Another term for a hazelnut, especially a cultivated one.
  • The squirrels were gathering cobnuts.
• Cobble (v/n): While distinct, this verb (meaning to assemble roughly) and noun (a rounded stone) are sometimes associated with the "rounded lump" sense of "cob".
• Cobweb (n): A spider's web. This is a compound word; the "cob" part is an old English word for "spider," unrelated to the main definitions above.

Synonyms

• For the swan: Male swan.
• For the horse: Pony (though a cob is a specific type), stock horse.
• For the corn core: Corncore, ear.
• For the lump: Nugget, lump, chunk.
• For the nut: Hazelnut, filbert.
• For the material: Adobe, clay lump.

Related Phrases

• To have a cob on (British informal, phrasal verb): To be in a bad mood or be angry.
  • He's got a real cob on this morning.
• Cob together (phrasal verb): To assemble or put together something hastily or roughly.
  • We managed to cob together a meal from what was in the fridge.

Related Idioms

• Off the cob: Referring to corn kernels that have been removed from the cob.
  • The salad was made with corn off the cob.
• (As) strong as a cob: An expression highlighting the strength and sturdiness of a cob horse.
  • That little pony is as strong as a cob.

Noun

1. adult male swan
2. white gull having a black back and wings
3. stocky short-legged harness horse
4. nut of any of several trees of the genus Corylus