Talk:cobblers

Slang for police
Are there any references for this? I was born in and have lived in the UK for 40 years and have never come across this as a term for the police. Neither can I find any reference to it in other online dictionaries. Are you sure this is not mixed up with "coppers"?Crimperman 15:01, 19 December 2007 (UTC)


 * I haven't heard of it either, and I've lived here since the eighties. Equinox 21:54, 29 October 2008 (UTC)

Agreed. Never heard of the police being called 'cobblers'. 'Coppers' is correct slang for the filth.

Taking it out until someone can provide a citation.--Yickbob 01:55, 7 June 2009 (UTC)

Split into two etymologies?
I think there should be two separate entries for the two etymologies: one for cobbler + -s, and one for the Cockney cobbler's awls. Equinox 21:54, 29 October 2008 (UTC)
 * Since cobbler's awls is included in the entry, I just set up a redirect for it, as well as for cobbler's. I notice most CRS entries are for the first word, not the whole rhyming phrase - perhaps based on how they are commonly used (ie, usually the second word gets dropped but not always)? In any case the Appendix:Cockney rhyming slang has a list of the rhyming phrases.--Yickbob 02:34, 7 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Deleted, as it shouldn't be a redirect (if real), but a full entry. However, we would need to find citations, which seems tricky. Equinox ◑ 18:30, 14 October 2023 (UTC)