cob

Everyday

1. A cob, or corncob, is the long middle part of an ear of corn (maize) that the kernels grow on: corn on the cob. tree →
2. A cob is a male swan (a female is a pen, a baby is a cygnet). tree →
3. (UK) A cob is a small round loaf of bread, or in some areas a bread roll. tree →
4. A cob is a strong, short-legged horse. tree →
5. Cob is a mix of clay, straw and water used to build walls of old houses. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons, «cob» is the word for a male swan. In food and farming lessons, corn on the cob is sweetcorn cooked whole. In parts of England (the Midlands, the North) «a cob» is a bread roll — the word is part of a famous regional argument (bap, barm, batch, cob, roll, bun). In history and design, cob cottages in Devon have thick earth walls. Phrases: «corn on the cob», «cob loaf», «cob and pen».

Examples

• We ate buttery corn on the cob at the barbecue. tree →
• The cob swan hissed to protect the cygnets. tree →
• (UK, Midlands) Can I have a cheese cob, please? tree →
• The farmer rode a sturdy cob. tree →
• Old Devon cottages are made of cob. tree →
• The baker sold a big round cob loaf. tree →
• De pig dat runs off wid de year er corn gits little mo' dan de cob. tree →

Note

Plural «cobs». The meaning depends on where you are and what you are talking about: swans, corn, bread, horses or walls. Swans: cob = male, pen = female, cygnet = young.