What does cob web mean? if you look in the dictionary "Cob" means the top part of a maize stalk, or a type of loaf , or a large horse, can anyone help?
2007-03-12 11:12:25 · 6 answers · asked by spud 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
'Cobweb' (one word), is one of those tricky words that only got the way it is because it changed a number of times along the way.
The 'web' part of it is fairly easy, and your question shows that you already know that part - it's simply anything formed from interwoven strands.
The 'cob' part is much less obvious. It actually has nothing to do with any definition of cob in the English language. Rather, it dervives from an Old English suffix '-coppe', meaning 'relating to a spider'. From there, the suffix '-coppe' became a prefix, and the word 'coppeweb' was used to describe a spider's web.
Over the centuries, as fashions and pronounciations changed, 'coppeweb' eventually mutated to the 'cobweb' that we are familiar with nowadays.
2007-03-12 11:21:18 · answer #1 · answered by Guy Norman Cognito 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Your original answerer is correct.
According to the etymology dictionary:
323, first element is O.E. -coppe in atorcoppe "spider," lit. "poison-head" (see attercop). Cob for "a spider" was an old word nearly dead even in dialects when J.R.R. Tolkien used it in "The Hobbit" (1937).
And do not confuse cobweb with dustbunny.
This is the definition of a cobweb:
a dense elaborate spider web that is more efficient than the orb web.
THIS however is a dust bunny: a loose, tangled ball of dust, lint, hair, etc., esp. as found under a low piece of furniture.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=dust+bunny&r=66
This is one of the things that is so sad about language. It is the only we have to communicate with each other. And words have nuances of meaning which may vary a little from person to person, based on history or whatever.
But sometimes our interpretations of words are just wrong. That's the thing. Words mean something. Not just what we think they mean--but what they mean. Even if I look at purple and call it blue---it is still purple.
Anyway, there are obviously different kinds of webs.
They actually catagorize spiders by the type of web they weave:
Spiral orb webs
Tangle-webs or cobwebs
Funnel-webs
Tubular webs which run up the base of trees
Sheet webs
Details on wikipedia. Who knew there were that many kinds of web?
And now I'm going to go sit in the corner of an empty room with a can of insecticide in one hand. (shudder)
2007-03-12 12:04:21 · answer #2 · answered by maî 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Spider webs are actually different to me. Spider webs are spun by a spider but a cob web is where dust particles have sort of pooled (air currents in a house or building are not obvious but they are there)
The dust builds slowly, usually into a chain of sorts. Then when it is big enough you can see it. They hang in corners or above doorways... hallways have a lot because of the air when people pass through. Some times a heat source like a light bulb can pull some air and then the air goes up and that makes cob webs on lampshades or ceiling lights.
We should ask why we call "dust webs" by the name of "cob webs"
2007-03-12 11:26:28 · answer #3 · answered by chattanooga chip 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Answer Number One is correct.
Answer Number Two is just nonsense - but interesting and almost logical. I have the power of elimination but I'm not going to use it here, because it is such an intriguing explanation.
.
2007-03-12 14:03:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Further to book_allie's answer, the "coppe" element in "atter-coppe" is related to the modern German "Kopf", meaning "head".
The surname "Schwarzkopf" means "blackhead". Nothing to do with spots - it means "dark-haired", unusual in ancient Germanic races.
2007-03-13 07:52:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its like this outfit, simply means far outreaching connection, know wit am sane.?
2007-03-12 12:13:55 · answer #6 · answered by Andy 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋