noun
cobwebs
KOB-webz
Cobwebs (noun) means the tangled, dusty remains of old spider webs, especially the grey strands found in corners, ceilings and unused rooms. Example: “The attic was thick with cobwebs and dead flies.”
noun
1
The tangled, dusty remains of old spider webs, especially the grey strands found in corners, ceilings and unused rooms.
"The attic was thick with cobwebs and dead flies."
"She swept the cobwebs off the light fitting."
2
figurative A feeling of mental dullness, staleness or grogginess, imagined as something to be cleared away.
"A run before breakfast blows away the cobwebs."
"Three days back at the desk shook the cobwebs off her Spanish."
How to use cobwebs
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOld dusty spider webs, or the fuzzy feeling in your head before you wake up properly.
When to use it
Neutral. The figurative use is idiomatic and slightly informal.
Memory tip
Cobwebs signal neglect. Saying a project is gathering cobwebs means nobody has touched it for a long time.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
blow away the cobwebs
covered in cobwebs
clear the cobwebs
dust and cobwebs
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The attic was thick with _____ and dead flies.
Etymology
From Middle English coppeweb, from Old English coppe 'spider' plus web; the first element survives only in this compound.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cobweb and a spider web?
In everyday use, a spider web is the fresh, functioning web a spider is living in, while a cobweb is an abandoned one gone dusty and shapeless. Zoologically the distinction is looser — cobweb is also a name for the irregular tangle-webs built by certain house spiders.
What does blow away the cobwebs mean?
To clear your head and shake off dullness, usually by getting outside into fresh air or exercise. It treats mental staleness as accumulated dust that a brisk walk can sweep out.
Is there a singular form?
Yes, a cobweb, but the plural dominates because cobwebs are almost always noticed in quantity. The figurative sense is plural only — you blow away the cobwebs, never a cobweb.
What is the meaning of cobwebs?
"cobwebs" (noun) means the tangled, dusty remains of old spider webs, especially the grey strands found in corners, ceilings and unused rooms.
