COB, or COBBING. A punishment used by the seamen for petty offences, or irregularities, among themselves: it consists in bastonadoing the offender on the posteriors with a cobbing stick, or pipe staff; the number usually inflicted is a dozen. At the first stroke the executioner repeats the word WATCH, on which all persons present are to take off their hats, on pain of like punishment: the last stroke is always given as hard as possible, and is called THE PURSE. Ashore, among soldiers, where this punishment is sometimes adopted, WATCH and THE PURSE are not included in the number, but given over and above, or, in the vulgar phrase, free gratis for nothing. This piece of discipline is also inflicted in Ireland, by the school-boys, on persons coming into the school without taking off their hats; it is there called school butter. COBBLE. A kind of boat. TO COBBLE. To mend, or patch; likewise to do a thing in a bungling manner. COBBLE COLTER. A turkey. COBBLER. A mender of shoes, an improver of the understandings of his customers; a translator. COBBLERS PUNCH. Treacle, vinegar, gin, and water. COCK, or CHIEF COCK OF THE WALK. The leading man in any society or body; the best boxer in a village or district. COCK ALE. A provocative drink. COCK ALLEY or COCK LANE. The private parts of a woman. COCK AND A BULL STORY. A roundabout story, without head or tail, i.e. beginning or ending. COCK OF THE COMPANY. A weak man, who from the desire of being the head of the company associates with low people, and pays all the reckoning. COCK-A-WHOOP. Elevated, in high-spirits, transported with joy. COCK BAWD. A male keeper of a bawdy-house. COCK HOIST. A cross buttock. COCKISH. Wanton, forward. A cockish wench; a forward coming girl. COCKLES. To cry cockles; to be hanged: perhaps from the noise made whilst strangling. CANT.--This will rejoice the cockles of one's heart; a saying in praise of wine, ale, or spirituous liquors. COCK PIMP. The supposed husband of a bawd. COCK ROBIN. A soft, easy fellow. COCK-SURE. Certain: a metaphor borrowed front the cock of a firelock, as being much more certain to fire than the match. COCK YOUR EYE. Shut one eye: thus translated into apothecaries Latin.--Gallus tuus ego. COCKER. One fond of the diversion of cock-fighting.