warm the cockles of someone's heart

warm the cockles of (one's) heart

To cause one to feel happy. The "cockles of one's heart" are the deepest part of oneself. Thank you so much—your kind words really warmed the cockles of my heart.

See also: cockle, heart, of, warm

warm the cockles of someone's heart

give someone a comforting feeling of pleasure or contentment.

This phrase perhaps arose as a result of the resemblance in shape between a heart and a cockleshell.

See also: cockle, heart, of, warm