Meaning
In Liverpool speech, to have a cob on means to be in a bad mood, sulking, annoyed, or noticeably grumpy.
How it is used
The University of Liverpool's newcomer material directly glosses cob on as 'bad mood' and gives the question 'Have you got a cob on?'. The expression comments on someone's visible mood rather than naming a specific cause.
Examples
- “Have you got a cob on with me?”
- “He's had a cob on all morning.”
- “Don't get a cob on just because we changed the plan.”
Pronunciation
/ˈkɒb ɒn/ · COB on
Tone and register
Informal and potentially teasing, but it can also sound confrontational if used during an argument.
Visitor guidance
Visitors should understand the whole phrase rather than trying to derive the mood meaning from cob by itself. Asking whether someone has a cob on can sound playful among friends and provocative in a tense exchange.
Cultural context
Cob on is useful visitor vocabulary because a literal reading gives almost no clue to its conversational meaning.
Places represented
Open the reviewed place guide for each regional sense carried by this canonical entry.