Re: Cob it

Posted by ESC on November 14, 2001

In Reply to: Re: Put the cobs on posted by ESC on November 13, 2001

: : Greetings all

: : I seem to be the only one to use this
: : expression. My father said it meant to
: : make off with in a hurry. As in "grab the
: : goods and run"

: : Example

: : He put the cobs on my pizza!

: : Any one have any ideas as to the origin?

: : What little research I have done leads to
: : a steam locomotive, where a batch of
: : corn cobs could be tossed into the
: : fire to add a sudden burst of heat to
: : the engine. In doing so escaping the
: : bad guys.

: : Thanks
: : Joe

: I haven't heard that expression. I have heard: "He tried to cabbage on to my pizza."

COB v. 1. to steal; cop. 1969, 1969, 1980 in DARE (Dictionary of American Regional English). 1. aviation, to accelerate; in phrase 'cob it' or to go at full throttle. (compare to) 'full cob.' 1969 Cagle 'Naval Av. Guide' 391: 'Cob It' Full throttle.3. (see quote) 1976 J.L. Dillard 'Amer. Talk' 14 'The vulgar 'Cob you!' (the older and more rural predecessor of 'Up yours!)'" From the "Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume 1, A-G" by J.E. Lighter, Random House, New York, 1994.