different between cosset vs mollycoddle

English

Etymology

Perhaps from Middle English cotsete, from Old English cots?ta (“cottager”), from cot (“cottage”) (Modern English cot (“cottage”) (archaic)) + -s?ta (“-sitter”); compare coscet. Compare German Hauslamm (literally “house lamb”), Italian casiccio.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /?k?s?t/

Verb

cosset (third-person singular simple present cossets, present participle cosseting or cossetting, simple past and past participle cosseted or cossetted)

1. (transitive) To treat like a pet; to overly indulge. [from 1650s]

2. (transitive) To fondle; to touch or stroke lovingly.

Synonyms

• (to treat like a pet): coddle, posset; see also Thesaurus:pamper
• (to fondle): caress, pet; see also Thesaurus:fondle

Derived terms

• cosseted
• cosseting

Translations

Noun

cosset (plural cossets)

1. A pet, usually a pet lamb. [from 1570s]
2. Someone indulged or cosseted. [from 1590s]

See also

• cub
• kid
• fawn
• kitten

References

Anagrams

• Costes, cosets, scotes

English

Etymology

molly +? coddle

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?m?l.??k?d.?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?m?l.i?k?d.?l/
• Rhymes: -?d?l

Noun

mollycoddle (plural mollycoddles)

1. (now rare) A person, especially a man or a boy, who is pampered and overprotected.
   • 2004: Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage

     No matter what pacifist "flubdubs and flapdoodle mollycoddles" might say, the President [Teddy Roosevelt] knew that if there were a general war then America could well be drawn into it.

Translations

Verb

mollycoddle (third-person singular simple present mollycoddles, present participle mollycoddling, simple past and past participle mollycoddled)

1. (transitive) To be overprotective and indulgent toward; to pamper.
   • 1904, Sabine Baring-Gould, The White Flag

     Heerendorp by this means obtained an evil notoriety, and it was ordered to be burnt, and the women of Jacob's family to be transferred to a concentration camp where they would be mollycoddled at the expense of the English taxpayer.

   • 2012, The Economist, Oct 13th 2012, Policy prescriptions: A True Progressivism

     Rich countries also need more competition in traditionally mollycoddled sectors such as education.

Translations