Definition

1. Noun:

   • A common edible, burrowing European bivalve mollusk: A type of shellfish with a strong, rounded shell that has radiating ribs.
   • The shell of this mollusk: The hard, protective outer covering of the cockle.
   • A small, shallow boat: (Archaic) A light, small boat.

2. Verb:

   • To gather something into small wrinkles or folds: To contract or pucker a surface, such as fabric or skin.
   • To stir up (water) so as to form ripples: To cause the surface of water to become slightly agitated with small waves.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Mollusk):
  • We collected cockles from the sandy shore at low tide.
  • The recipe calls for fresh cockles and white wine.
• Noun (Shell):
  • A child's bucket was filled with pretty cockles and other seashells.
• Verb (To wrinkle):
  • The old parchment had cockled with age and moisture.
  • The heat from the iron cockled the delicate silk.
• Verb (To ripple water):
  • A gentle breeze cockled the surface of the pond.

Advanced Usage

• "to warm the cockles of someone's heart": To give someone a feeling of deep contentment and happiness.
  • That generous donation really warmed the cockles of my heart.

Variants and Related Words

• Cockleshell (n): The shell of a cockle; (historically) a small, light boat.
  • The tiny boat was no more than a cockleshell on the vast ocean.

Synonyms

• Noun (Mollusk): Bivalve, shellfish.
• Verb (To wrinkle): Pucker, crumple, crinkle, ruffle.
• Verb (To ripple): Ruffle, dimple.

Related Phrases

(No specific phrasal verbs are commonly associated with "cockle")

Related Idioms

• Warm the cockles of someone's heart: As defined in Advanced Usage.

Noun

1. common edible, burrowing European bivalve mollusk that has a strong, rounded shell with radiating ribs
2. common edible European bivalve

Verb

1. to gather something into small wrinkles or folds
   • She puckered her lips
2. stir up (water) so as to form ripples