Link Centre Dictionary

cockle

UK/ˈkɒkl̩/ US/ˈkɑk(ə)l/ uncommon slang uk
noun (2) verb (2)

noun

1.
2.

common edible European bivalve mollusk having a rounded shell with radiating ribs

verb

1.

stir up (water) so as to form ripples

Synonyms
2.

to gather something into small wrinkles or folds

  • “She puckered her lips”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English cokel, cokkel, kokkel, cocle, of uncertain origin. Perhaps a diminutive of Middle English cokke, cok (“cockle”), from Old English cocc (found in sǣcocc (“cockle”)) + -le; or perhaps from Old French coquille, from Vulgar Latin *cocchilia, from conchylia, from Ancient Greek κογχύλιον (konkhúlion), diminutive of κογχύλη (konkhúlē, “mussel”), of Pre-Greek substrate origin.

Phrases

  • blood cockle
  • cockle wife
  • common cockle
  • corn cockle
  • ear cockle
  • hot cockles
  • moulding of cockle bread
  • warm the cockles of someone's heart

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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Parts

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Entails

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.