1 C1 idiomatic slang
To become close friends with someone; to bond with a person.
"The two soldiers cobbed up during their first week at training camp and remained lifelong friends."
inseparable
cobber up
C1 slang intransitive
Australian slang for becoming close friends or pairing up with someone.
In plain English
To become good friends with someone, especially a new friend.
What does "cobber up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic slang
To pair up with someone for a shared activity or task.
"We'd better cobber up before the hike — it's safer to go in pairs."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
'Cobber' (Australian slang for a mate) + 'up' (forming a connection) — literally 'to friend up' with someone.
Actually means
To become good friends with someone, especially a new friend.
Usage tip
Highly regional; used almost exclusively in Australian English. 'Cobber' is an old-fashioned Australian word for a close friend. The phrase is informal and somewhat dated, more common among older speakers.
Words that pair with "cobber up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
mate bloke stranger workmate
How to conjugate "cobber up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cobber up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
cobbers up
he/she/it
Past simple
cobbered up
yesterday
Past participle
cobbered up
have + pp
-ing form
cobbering up
continuous
Hear "cobber up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "cobber up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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