COB  , a word of unknown origin with a variety of meanings, which the New

English Dictionary considers may be traced to the notions of something stout, big, round, head or top . In " cobble," e.g. in the sense of a round stone used in paving, the same word may be traced . The principal uses of " cob " are for a stocky strongly built horse, from 13 to 14 hands high, a small round loaf, a round lump of coal, in which sense " cobble " is also used, the fruiting spike of the maize plant, and a large nut of the hazel type, more commonly known as the cob-nut . " Cobbler," a patcher or mender of boots and shoes, is probably from a different root . It has nothing to do with an O . Fr. coubler, Mod. coupler, to fasten together . In " cobweb," the web of the spider, the " cob " represents the older cop, coppe, spider, cf . Dutch spinnekop .