coddle

/ˈkɑdəl/
verb
  1. To treat someone in an overly protective or indulgent way, often to the point of spoiling them.
    • The coach refused to coddle the players, expecting them to work hard.
    • She felt her boss was coddling her by giving her only easy tasks.
    • Parents should not coddle their children too much, or they may not learn independence.
  2. To cook something, especially an egg, gently in water just below the boiling point.
    • The chef showed us how to coddle eggs without breaking the yolk.
    • To make a perfect breakfast, coddle the egg for about five minutes.
    • He learned to coddle eggs from his grandmother's recipe.
Antonyms
noun
  1. An Irish dish consisting of layers of bacon, sausage, potatoes, and onions, slowly cooked in stock.
    • She followed an old family recipe to make coddle for the guests.
    • Dublin coddle is a traditional comfort food in Ireland.
    • We had a hearty bowl of coddle for dinner on St. Patrick's Day.
What does "coddle" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean