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cockle1 definition

cockle (käk′əl)

noun

  1. any of a family (Cardiidae) of edible, marine bivalve mollusks with two heart-shaped, radially ridged shells
  2. a cockleshell
  3. a wrinkle; pucker

Etymology: ME cokel < OFr coquille, a blister, shell, cockle, altered (infl. by coq, cock) < L conchylium < Gr konchylion, shellfish < konchē: see conch

intransitive verb, transitive verb cockled -·led, cockling -·ling

to wrinkle; pucker

Etymology: Fr coquiller < the n.

cockle Idioms

warm the cockles of someone's heart

Etymology: prob. < L cochlea, winding cavity, lit., snail: see cochlea

to make someone feel pleased or cheerful
cockle2 definition

cockle (käk′əl)

noun

any of various weeds that grow in grainfields, as the corn cockle

Etymology: ME cokkel < OE coccel, darnel, tares

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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