English
have a cob on
Have a cob on may come from English cob ‘male swan’.
- English1500–presentcob‘male swan’uncertain
- Englishtodayhave a cob on
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- English1500–presentcob‘male swan’uncertain
- Englishtodayhave a cob on
Made of the words have + a + cob + on
Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘to seize’
Proto-Germanic *habjaną ‘to have, to hold’
Proto-West Germanic *habbjan ‘to have’
Old English habban ‘to have, possess’
Middle English haven ‘to own’
English have
Proto-Indo-European *h₁óynos ‘one’
Proto-Germanic *ainaz ‘one’
Proto-West Germanic *ain ‘one’
Old English ān ‘one; a certain’
Middle English a
English a
Middle English cobbe ‘male swan’
English cob
Proto-Indo-European *h₂en- ‘on’
Proto-Germanic *an ‘on’
Proto-West Germanic *ana
Old English on ‘on’
Middle English on ‘on’
English on
The story
Perhaps from cob (‘male swan’), noted for its ill-temper.
Every English word from English cob
Today it means
verb To be in a bad mood; be grumpy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / English cob / have a cob on