The Collaborative International Dictionary
Coddle \Cod"dle\ (k[o^]d"d'l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coddled (-d'ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Coddling (-dl[i^]ng).] [Cf. Prov. E. caddle to coax, spoil, fondle, and Cade, a. & v. t.] [Written also codle.]
-
To parboil, or soften by boiling.
It [the guava fruit] may be coddled.
--Dampier. -
To treat with excessive tenderness; to pamper.
How many of our English princes have been coddled at home by their fond papas and mammas!
--Thackeray.He [Lord Byron] never coddled his reputation.
--Southey.
Wiktionary
n. 1 The act of one who coddles or pampers. 2 (alt form codling English) (qualifier: type of apple) vb. (present participle of coddle English)
Wikipedia
In cooking, to coddle food is to heat it in water kept just below the boiling point. In the past, recipes called for coddling fruit, but in recent times the term is usually only applied to coddled eggs. The process is either done in a regular pan or pot, or through the use of a special device such as an "egg coddler" (originally known as a pipkin).
The word coddle evolved from the name of a warm drink, " caudle", and ultimately deriving from the Latin word for warm drink, calidium.
Comparing the coddling cooking technique to boiling when it comes to whole eggs, the process of coddling takes a longer time due to the use of a lower cooking temperature, but it produces a more tender egg.
Usage examples of "coddling".
But today, as a result of those Three Laws written so long ago, the original uses for robots have almost become subordinate to the task of cocooning and coddling humanity.
He continued, therefore, his system of coddling, and was ready at any moment, or at every moment, to pour, if not comfort, at any rate consolation into the ears of his unhappy friend.
Somehow, Emily always knew when Susan was tired or depressed, and she would dispense an extra measure of coddling, but not all her tender concern could erase the tension from Susan's face that night.
It was a sign of her returning vitality that she wondered about anything, but she was young and healthy, and the coddling she'd been receiving was rapidly restoring her strength.
Books in every room of the sprawling house, cats prowling through the barns and stables, his mother's sweet, bossy coddling, his father's concern and understanding.
The entire family thought it was hilarious the way Chance reacted to Mary's coddling and fussing, as if the attention terrified him, even though he was never able to resist her.
Half of it was to get in some coddling of her injured firstborn, and the other half was to check out Wyatt.
Even if Kiyrstin needed coddling, sex would be the farthest thing from my mind.
Society had finally recovered from a century or more of coddling rebellious children, and we were all the better for it.
Tantrums aside, I don't know what I'm doing, I veer between harsh discipline and coddling them.