gob iron

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A simple harmonica

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

One kid drummed on a washboard, another plunked a broom-handle bass, a third faked chords on guitar, another blew into a gob iron (which was what they called a harmonica), and they dubbed themselves a band.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “gob iron” mean?

A simple harmonica

Is “gob iron” formal or informal?

gob iron is generally slang.