cobbler

[kob-ler] /ˈkɒb lər/
noun
1.
a person who mends shoes.
2.
a deep-dish fruit pie with a rich biscuit crust, usually only on top.
3.
an iced drink made of wine or liquor, fruits, sugar, etc.
4.
a fabric rejected because of defective dyeing or finishing.
5.
a mummichog.
6.
Archaic. a clumsy workman.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English cobelere, equivalent to cobel (< ?) + -ere -er1
Examples from the web for cobbler
  • Look for local peach cobbler and peach sangria as well.
  • Heavy foot traffic, the old saying goes, fills a shoe cobbler with joy.
  • cobbler is, or should be, always served with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  • It's all free-if you can resist buying some peach ice cream or cobbler.
  • For dessert, mouthwatering peach pie and cobbler are served year-round.
  • The recipe for this easy dessert cleverly uses pancake mix to make the top of the cobbler.
  • Industry and independent observers are now looking for the footprint, and trying to figure out who's going to be the cobbler.
  • After a long day on and off the slopes, sit by a cozy fire and enjoy après-ski drinks and a warm, comforting cobbler.
  • For dessert, bake dried fruits into bread, a cobbler or muffins.
  • He'd left the insurance business by then and was eking out a living as a cobbler.
British Dictionary definitions for cobbler

cobbler1

/ˈkɒblə/
noun
1.
a person who makes or mends shoes
Word Origin
C13 (as surname): of unknown origin

cobbler2

/ˈkɒblə/
noun
1.
a sweetened iced drink, usually made from fruit and wine or liqueur
2.
(mainly US) a hot dessert made of fruit covered with a rich cakelike crust
Word Origin
C19: (for sense 1) perhaps shortened from cobbler's punch; (for both senses) compare cobble (vb)
Word Origin and History for cobbler
n.

late 13c., cobelere "one who mends shoes," of uncertain origin. It and cobble (v.) "evidently go together etymologically" [OED], but the historical record presents some difficulties. "The cobbler should stick to his last" (ne sutor ultra crepidam) is from the anecdote of Greek painter Apelles.

On one occasion a cobbler noticed a fault in the painting of a shoe, and remarking upon it to a person standing by, passed on. As soon as the man was out of sight Apelles came from his hiding-place, examined the painting, found that the cobbler's criticism was just, and at once corrected the error. ... The cobbler came by again and soon discovered that the fault he had pointed out had been remedied; and, emboldened by the success of his criticism, began to express his opinion pretty freely about the painting of the leg! This was too much for the patience of the artist, who rushed from his hiding place and told the cobbler to stick to his shoes. [William Edward Winks, "Lives of Illustrious Shoemakers," London, 1883]
[The quote is variously reported: Pliny ("Natural History" XXXV.x.36) has ne supra crepidam judicaret, while Valerius Maximus (VIII.xiii.3) gives supra plantam ascendere vetuit.]

"deep-dish fruit pie," 1859, American English, perhaps related to 14c. cobeler "wooden bowl."

Idioms and Phrases with cobbler

cobbler