English Explanatory Dictionary

warm the cockles of someone's heart

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. Especially of food or drink (particularly an alcoholic beverage): to cause someone to feel deeply warm and comfortable; to comfort, to satisfy.
  2. To provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness.

Pronunciation

wôrm thə kŏk′əlz əv sŭm′wənz härt′ /wɔːm ðə ˈkɒk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑːt/ /woɹm ðə ˈkɑk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑɹt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-warm the cockles of someone's heart.wav /woɹm ðə ˈkɔk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑɹt/ /woɹm ðə ˈkɒk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑɹt/ /woːm ðə ˈkɔk.əlz əv ˌsɐm.wənz ˈhɐːt/ En-au-warm the cockles of someone's heart.ogg /woːm ðə ˈkɒk.əlz əv ˌsɐm.wənz ˈhɐːt/ /wɔɹm ðə ˈkɔk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhaɹt/ /wɔʳm d̪e ˈkɔk.elz ov ˌsəm.wonz ˈhaːʳt/

Word forms

warm the cockles of someone's heart warms the cockles of someone's heart warming the cockles of someone's heart warmed the cockles of someone's heart

Etymology

PIE word *ḱḗr Either from: * the similarity of a closed cockle (“European bivalve mollusk of the family Cardiidae”) to a heart; or * a corruption of Latin cochleae (“ventricles”) in cochleae cordis (“ventricles of the heart”). The term cockles of [someone’s] heart is first attested in 1671: see the quotation.

Synonyms

warm someone's cockles warm someone's heart beatify enrapture begladden blissen bright cheer fetch cheer up cherish content delight elate elevate enbliss exhilarate fain gay gladden gladden someone's heart gratify happify happy hearten jollify laetificate light up make someone's day perk up please raise someone's spirits rejoice turn the frown upside down upcheer warm the cockles of someone's heart

Related words

heart-warming warm-hearted
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