warm the cockles of someone's heart

First documented use in 1671. Corruption of Latin cochleae (“ventricles”) in cochleae cordis (“ventricles of the heart”).[1][2] Earlier attempt to explain the etymology no longer noted in reference works: Possibly due to resemblance of cockles to hearts.[2]

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warm the cockles of someone's heart (third-person singular simple present warms the cockles of someone's heart, present participle warming the cockles of someone's heart, simple past and past participle warmed the cockles of someone's heart)

1. (idiomatic) To provide happiness, to bring a deeply-felt contentment.
   • 1671 John Eachard:[3]

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

   • 1989, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, H. T. Willetts, transl., August 1914, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, →ISBN, page 214:

     “Surname?” ¶ “Blagodarev.” ¶ A handy name, easy to get hold of, and the ready way he gave it warmed the cockles of the heart.

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

• heart-warming