Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 5 cobiren, 6 cobern, cobborne, cobyron, cobb iron, 7 cobiron, 7–9 cob-iron. See also COBBARD. [app. f. COB sb.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. Ibid. (1552), 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.
