- Cockle stairs
- Cockle Coc"kle (k[o^]k"k'l), n. [OE. cockes cockles, AS.
s[=ae]coccas sea cockles, prob, from Celtic; cf. W. cocs
cockles, Gael. cochull husk. Perh. influenced by F. coquille
shell, a dim. from the root of E. conch. Cf. {Coach}.]
1. (Zo["o]l.) A bivalve mollusk, with radiating ribs, of the
genus {Cardium}, especially {Cardium edule}, used in
Europe for food; -- sometimes applied to similar shells of
other genera.
[1913 Webster]
2. A cockleshell. [1913 Webster]
3. The mineral black tourmaline or schorl; -- so called by the Cornish miners. --Raymond. [1913 Webster]
4. The fire chamber of a furnace. [Eng.] --Knight. [1913 Webster]
5. A hop-drying kiln; an oast. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
6. The dome of a heating furnace. --Knight. [1913 Webster]
{Cockle hat}, a hat ornamented with a cockleshell, the badge of a pilgrim. --Shak.
{Cockle stairs}, winding or spiral stairs. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
