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Which part of the UK uses the phrase “Have a cob on?”

92 replies

Greenbeanmcgee · 01/02/2026 19:42

And does it mean angry?

TIA

OP posts:
UnctuousUnicorns · 02/02/2026 09:32

FruAashild · 02/02/2026 09:22

I'm Scottish and live in the NE of England, I've never heard it. I know mardy though, but not sure if that's just because of the Arctic Monkeys.

I also use mardy to mean grumpy. See also mardy arse/bum, or mard-arse (hyphen optional). "It gets on me wick" = it's really annoying. Some say that has a very rude origin, but I just understood it to mean something that irked one a lot.

boxofbuttons · 02/02/2026 10:09

My mum says it, NW England. And yeah, meaning in a mood/stroppy.

MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly · 02/02/2026 11:57

We used it in south wales in the 90s, not heard it for a long time!

Livpool · 02/02/2026 13:34

We use it a lot in Liverpool- means being narky

incognitomouse · 02/02/2026 13:40

West Midlands here and I use it.

CollieModdle · 02/02/2026 13:41

I heard it growing up in Nottingham.

As in ‘eezgorrareetcobon’

Meaning moody / bad mood / badly miffed

Maddy70 · 02/02/2026 13:41

North , I've heard it all over Manchester Liverpool and north Wales

bluesky9 · 02/02/2026 13:41

@Ffion56.from the same neck of the woods and its always meant the same to me as ypu define it

BitOutOfPractice · 02/02/2026 13:42

‘Ers gorra cob on ay ‘er? = she’s in a bad mood isn’t she?

Black Country.

Happyher · 02/02/2026 13:44

I’m from Yorkshire and have heard it many time but I would probably say ‘got a munk on’. No idea where munk (or monk) originates from

BitOutOfPractice · 02/02/2026 13:44

UnctuousUnicorns · 02/02/2026 09:32

I also use mardy to mean grumpy. See also mardy arse/bum, or mard-arse (hyphen optional). "It gets on me wick" = it's really annoying. Some say that has a very rude origin, but I just understood it to mean something that irked one a lot.

My mom says “that gets right on my pip” for something annoying. No idea if that’s a mom phrase or a general phrase. She has a lot of her own.

If she is really angry she says “I’m as wicked as a wasp”.

BeefAndHorseradishSandwich · 02/02/2026 14:02

I’ve heard Corrie characters say it so maybe Manchester?

Twinkletopz · 02/02/2026 14:05

ResusciAnnie · 01/02/2026 20:14

Ohhh yeah maybe that’s it too. I’ve definitely heard chub too though.

HA! All those moody people who I actually thought had erections 😂 must never have noticed the phrase in relation to a woman!

Got a peg on was another phrase I heard once erection

BitOutOfPractice · 02/02/2026 14:08

Twinkletopz · 02/02/2026 14:05

Got a peg on was another phrase I heard once erection

Get a peg on means speed up / go fast where I’m from. Or at least that’s how I’ve used it!

WorriedRelative · 02/02/2026 16:05

Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, and it means "got a bag on", grumpy or to use another local phrase mardy.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 02/02/2026 16:06

Littletreefrog · 01/02/2026 19:46

South Yorkshire born and raised here and I've heard it used but think it's used more.a little further south so Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire area maybe. It's not really angry more mardy/sulking.

Sheffield is ‘having a mard on’ or ‘in a mard’

JurgenKloppsTeeth · 02/02/2026 16:20

80s Leicester: ee’s got a mardy cob on = he’s sulking/in a mood. Cob also a crusty roll.

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