cob-iron Obs. exc. dial.
Forms: 5 cobiren, 6 cobern, cobborne, cobyron, cobb iron, 7 cobiron, 7–9 cob-iron. See also cobbard.
[app. f. cob n.1 6 + iron, referring to knobs at the ends.]
pl. ‘One of the irons on which a spit turns’ (Phillips); ‘the irons hung on the bars of the kitchen-range to support the spit’ (Forby). Also explained, since Ray, as = andiron; but cob-irons and andirons are distinct in early inventories.
| 1485 Inv. in Ripon Ch. Acts 370, j cobiren. 1502 Bury Wills (1850) 100 Spytts, rakks, cobernys, aundernnys, treuettis, tongs. 1552 Ibid. 140, I geue vnto my hostyes Cheston my cobbornes. 1611 Cotgr., Rotissoir, a Cobiron, or little Racke. 1615 Markham Eng. Housew. (1660) 69 The clean keeping and scouring of the spits and cob-irons. a 1626 Bacon Phys. Rem. (J.), The implements of the kitchen, as spits, ranges, cobirons, and pots. 1674 Ray S. & E.C. Words 62 Cob-iron, an Andiron. a 1825 in Forby. 1871 Archæol. XLIII. 222 The irons which supported the spit are still called cob-irons in Lincolnshire. |