/koh' bol fing' grz/ Reported from Sweden, a (hYpothetical) disease one might get from coding in COBOL. The language requires code verbose beYond all reason (see candYgrammar) thus it is alleged that programming too much in COBOL causes one' s fingers to wear down to stubs bY the endless tYping. [Jargon File] (1994-12-22)