General
cobblers' awls
What does cobblers' awls mean?
Rubbish. Nonsense. Bollocks dressed up in a flat cap. When someone says 'a load of (old) cobblers' they're calling it bullshit — the rhyme to 'balls' got buried so deep it now passes on daytime telly.
"He reckons he's mates with Lewis Hamilton — load of old cobblers."
Origin
Cockney rhyming slang where 'cobblers' awls' (the pointed tools used by shoemakers) rhymes with 'balls'. Shortened to just 'cobblers' so cleanly that most users have no idea they're swearing.
Frequently asked questions
What does cobblers' awls mean?
It's rhyming slang for balls, and by extension it means total nonsense or rubbish.
How do you use cobblers' awls in a sentence?
"Don't listen to him, that's a load of cobblers."
Where does cobblers' awls come from?
It's Cockney rhyming slang: "cobblers' awls" rhymes with "balls," and is usually shortened to just "cobblers."
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