▶ USAGE The use of cobblers meaning 'nonsense' is so mild that hardly anyone these days is likely to be offendedby it. Most people are probably unaware of its rhyming-slang association with 'balls',and therefore take it at its face value as a more colourful synonym for 'nonsense'.The classic formulation 'a load of (old) cobblers' seems to be particularly popularin the tabloid press