warm the cockles of someone's heart

English

Etymology

17th century, Unknown, possibly due to resemblance of cockles to hearts. Alternatively, may be corruption of Latin cochleae in cochleae cordis ‎(“ventricles of heart”), or of Irish Gaelic origin. Possibly also inspired by mollusks opening when exposed to warmth, notably cooking.

Verb

to warm the cockles of someone's heart

1. (idiomatic) To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment
   • 1671 John Eachard:

     This contrivance of his did inwardly rejoice the cockles of his heart.

Synonyms

• (to provide happiness): warm someone's heart

Related terms

• heart-warming

Translations

to provide happiness to someone

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 令人滿意, 令人满意 ‎(lìng rén mǎnyì), 讓人開心, 让人开心 ‎(ràng rén kāixīn), 讓人快樂, 让人快乐 ‎(ràng rén kuàilè)

• Finnish: lämmittää jonkun sydäntä
• French: faire chaud au cœur

• German: Herz wärmen
• Italian: riempire il cuore di gioia
• Japanese: 心を温める ‎(こころをあたためる, kokoro o atatameru)
• Portuguese: aquecer o coração
• Russian: согрева́ть се́рдце impf ‎(sogrevátʹ sérdce), согре́ть се́рдце pf ‎(sogrétʹ sérdce)