subs. phr. (common).—A jocose vulgarism encountered in a variety of combinations; e.g., ‘that will rejoice’ or ‘tickle’ or ‘warm the COCKLES OF YOUR HEART,’ etc. [It is suggested (Notes and Queries, 7 S., iv., 26) that a hint as to its origin may be found in Lower, an eminent anatomist of the seventeenth century, who thus speaks in his Tractatus de Corde (1669), p. 25, of the muscular fibres of the ventricles.

          ‘Fibræ quidem rectis hisce exteri oribus in dextro ventriculo proximè subjectæ obliquè dextrorsum ascendentes in basin cordis terminantur, et spirali suo ambitu helicem sive cochleam satis aptè referunt.’
The ventricles of the heart might, therefore, be called cochlea cordis, and this would easily be turned into COCKLES OF THE HEART.] The French say, Tu t’en pourlécheras la face (that’ll rejoice the cockles of your heart).

1

  1671.  EACHARD, Observations, p. 26. [Wright]. This Contrivance of his did inwardly as much rejoyce the COCKLES OF HIS HEART.

2

  1822.  SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xxvi. Which would have cheered the COCKLES of the reigning monarch.

3

  1834.  MARRYAT, Jacob Faithful, ch. xii. ‘There now, master, there’s a glass of grog for you that would float a marling-spike. See if that don’t warm the COCKLES OF YOUR OLD HEART.’

4

  1839.  W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard, p. 49 (ed. 1840). ‘There, Mr. Wood,’ cried David, pouring out a glass of the spirit, and offering it to the carpenter, ‘that’ll warm the COCKLES OF YOUR HEART.’

5

  TO CRY COCKLES, verbal phr. (common).—To be hanged. [From the gurgling noise made in strangulation.] For synonyms, see LADDER.

6