coddle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to treat with excessive care, or to cook gently in water

   You shouldn't coddle the boy; let him face setbacks.

Of uncertain origin; perhaps a variant of caudle 'to give warm gruel to an invalid', from Old French caudel, from Latin caldum 'warm drink', from calidus 'warm'. The cooking sense 'to stew gently' is the older.

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