Dictionary

warm the cockles of someone's heart en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /woɹm ðə ˈkɑk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑɹt/ (Canada, General-American, cot-caught-merger)
• /wɔʳm d̪e ˈkɔk.elz ov ˌsəm.wonz ˈhaːʳt/ (India)
• /woːm ðə ˈkɔk.əlz əv ˌsɐm.wənz ˈhɐːt/ (Australia)
• /wɔːm ðə ˈkɒk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑːt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /woɹm ðə ˈkɒk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑɹt/ (Canada) without the cot–caught merger
• (General-American) audio
• /wɔɹm ðə ˈkɔk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhaɹt/ (Scotland)
• wôrm thə kŏk′əlz əv sŭm′wənz härt′
• audio AuE
• /woɹm ðə ˈkɔk.əlz əv ˌsʌm.wənz ˈhɑɹt/ (General-American) without the cot–caught merger
• /woːm ðə ˈkɒk.əlz əv ˌsɐm.wənz ˈhɐːt/ (New-Zealand)

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.

Meanings

1. (dated, idiomatic, intransitive) Especially of food or drink (particularly an alcoholic beverage): to cause someone to feel deeply warm and comfortable; to comfort, to satisfy.
   • Here a fresh-looking barmaid serves them each with a glass of early purl as they stand before the fire, coachman and guard exchanging business remarks. The purl warms the cockles of Tom's heart and makes him cough. 1857, [Thomas Hughes], “The Stage Coach”, in Tom Brown’s School Days. […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan & Co., →OCLC, part I, page 85:
   • Well, Aby; here I am, as large as life, but as cold as death. Ugh; what an affair that coach is! Fanny, my best of darlings, give me a drop of something that's best for warming the cockles of an old man's heart. 1859 August 4 – 1860 March 31 (date written), Anthony Trollope, “The Kanturk Hotel, South Main Street, Cork”, in Castle Richmond. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 10 May 1860, →OCLC, page 103:
   • My sandwiches had gone the way of all good sandwiches, and no wine remained to warm the cockles of my heart, for my flask had long been emptied. 1871, May Fly [pseudonym; H. F. Manley], A Continental Tour, together with Notes and Anecdotes of Diplomatic Life, London: Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.; Wellington, Somerset: Richard Corner, →OCLC, page 81:
2. (dated, figuratively, idiomatic, intransitive) To provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness.
   • "Surname?" / "Blagodarev." / A handy name, easy to get hold of, and the ready way he gave it warmed the cockles of the heart. 1989, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, chapter 25, in H[arry] T[aylor] Willetts, transl., August 1914 (The Red Wheel: A Narrative in Discrete Periods of Time), 1st paperback edition, New York, N.Y.: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, published 2014, →ISBN, page 214:
   • "Well, they may laugh at us up here for our old-fashioned notions of loyalty, discipline and obedience, but when one finds it I must say it warms the cockles of the heart. Don't you agree with me, Hugh? I say it warms the cockles of the heart." / "Oh, very much so," Kilwhillie agreed. The cockles of his own heart were in a responsive condition to warmth that evening […] 1941, Compton Mackenzie, “The Cave of the Calf”, in The Monarch of the Glen (Guild Books; number C5), Stockholm, Sweden: [F]or the British Publishers Guild by AB Ljus Förlag, published 1945, →OCLC, page 125:
   • Novv, although he ſays in his Preface, that he vvould not much boaſt of convincing the vvorld, hovv much I vvas miſtaken in vvhat I undertook; yet, I am confident of it, that this Contrivance of his did invvardly as much rejoyce the Cockles of his heart, as he phanſies, that vvhat I vvrit did ſometimes much tickle my Spleen. [1671, [John Eachard], Some Observations upon the Answer to an Enquiry into the Grounds & Occasions of the Contemt of the Clergy: […], 4th edition, London: […] E[van] Tyler and R[alph] Holt, for N[athaniel] Brooke, […], published 1672, →OCLC, pages 26–27:
   • "You mean that great possessions warm the cockles of your heart," I said; "that's because you're all soul. As for me, I must warm my hands in the tea-cozy before I can carve the eggs." 1902 October, E[dith] Nesbit, “The Invaders”, in The Red House, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 210:

Forms

Relateds

heart-warming · warm-hearted

Synonyms

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

Translations (19)

cmn 讓人開心 /让人开心 (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · ja 心を温める (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · sv värma om hjärtat (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · ko 훈훈하게 하다 (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · it allargare il cuore (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · de Herz wärmen (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · fr faire chaud au cœur (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · pt aquecer o coração (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · ru согрева́ть се́рдце (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · uk зігріва́ти се́рце (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · ko 마음을 따뜻하게 하다 (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · uk зігрі́ти се́рце (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · fi lämmittää jonkun sydäntä (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · cmn 讓人快樂 /让人快乐 (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · pl lać miód na serce (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · cmn 令人滿意 /令人满意 (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · fr mettre du baume au cœur (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · ru согре́ть се́рдце (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness) · fr réchauffer le cœur (to provide someone with a deep feeling of contentment or happiness)

wikipedia: Michael Quinion