Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1956
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COCKLESNORUM, n. 1. A toy consisting of a wooden or metal, often notched, disc perforated and made to spin on a doubled string so as to produce a buzzing or humming noise. [kokl′snorʌm]Abd. 1956 People's Jnl. (10 Nov.)12:
Nae doots some o' ye'll min' aboot a cocklesnorum, an' hae mebbe learn't some wee knip o' a bairn the wye tae wirk it.
2. Transf. as a jocular term of endearment for a small child (ne.Sc. 1890). [The first element may be merely fanciful but cf. Cockle, v.1 The second is from snore in description of its sound.]
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"Cocklesnorum n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Jul 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cocklesnorum_n>
