Obs. [app. f. Fr. coquille shell, or L. coclea snail, spiral, winding stair.]
1. A curl, ringlet.
1608. Sylvester, Du Bartas, II. iv. iv. (1641), 228/1. Instantly she sped To curl the Cockles of her new-bought head.
2. Cockle-stairs, winding stairs. [Cf. Ital. scala a chiocciola.]
1624. Wotton, Archit. (1672), 37. There are likewise Spiral, or Cockle Stairs, either Circular, or Oval.
1715. Leoni, Palladio’s Archit. (1742), I. 35. Winding Stairs, which are also call’d Cockle-Stairs.
