cob Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun nut of any of several trees of the genus Corylus
    cobnut; filbert; hazelnut.
  2. noun stocky short-legged harness horse
  3. noun white gull having a black back and wings
    Larus marinus; black-backed gull; great black-backed gull.
  4. noun adult male swan

WordNet

Cob noun
Etymology
Cf. AS. cop, copp, head, top, D. kop, G. kopf, kuppe, LL. cuppa cup (cf. E. brainpan), and also W. cob tuft, spider, cop, copa, top, summit, cobio to thump. Cf. Cop top, Cup, n.
Definitions
  1. The top or head of anything. Obs. W. Gifford.
  2. A leader or chief; a conspicuous person, esp. a rich covetous person. Obs.
    All cobbing country chuffs, which make their bellies and their bags their god, are called rich cobs. Nash.
  3. The axis on which the kernels of maize or indian corn grow. U. S.
  4. (Zoöl.) A spider; perhaps from its shape; it being round like a head.
  5. (Zoöl.) A young herring. B. Jonson.
  6. (Zoöl.) A fish; -- also called miller's thumb.
  7. A short-legged and stout horse, esp. one used for the saddle. Eng.
  8. (Zoöl.) A sea mew or gull; esp., the black-backed gull (Larus marinus). Written also cobb.
  9. A lump or piece of anything, usually of a somewhat large size, as of coal, or stone.
  10. A cobnut; as, Kentish cobs. See Cobnut. Eng.
  11. Clay mixed with straw. Prov. Eng.
    The poor cottager contenteth himself with cob for his walls, and thatch for his covering. R. Carew.
  12. A punishment consisting of blows inflicted on the buttocks with a strap or a flat piece of wood. Wright.
  13. A Spanish coin formerly current in Ireland, worth abiut 4s. 6d. Obs. Wright.
Cob transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Cobbed ; present participle & verbal noun Cobbing
Definitions
  1. To strike Prov. Eng. Halliwell.
  2. (Mining) To break into small pieces, as ore, so as to sort out its better portions. Raymond.
  3. (Naut.) To punish by striking on the buttocks with a strap, a flat piece of wood, or the like.

Webster 1913