cuddle
[verb]
Synonyms: hug, bill and coo, cosset, embrace, fondle, pet, snuggle

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Related Words: embrace, enfold, hold

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English Thesaurus: hug, embrace, cuddle, put your arms around somebody, cradle, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. cud‧dle¹ /ˈkʌdl/ verb [intransitive and transitive]
[Date: 1500-1600; Origin: Perhaps from cull, coll 'to hug' (14-18 centuries), from Old French coler, from col 'neck']
to hold someone or something very close to you with your arms around them, especially to show that you love them ⇒ hug:
Dawn and her boyfriend were cuddling on the sofa.
cuddle up phrasal verb
to lie or sit very close to someone or something
cuddle up to/together
The children cuddled up to each other for warmth.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. cuddle² noun [singular]
an act of cuddling someone ⇒ hug:
Come over here and let me give you a cuddle.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

cuddle
noun
ADJ. big He gave her a big cuddle and told her not to worry.
VERB + CUDDLE have They were having a cuddle on the sofa.
give Give Mummy a big cuddle.
PHRASES a kiss and a cuddle He just wants a comforting kiss and a cuddle and he'll be all right.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

hug (also give somebody a hug) to put your arms around someone and hold them tightly to show love or friendship:
Mother hugged him and tucked him into bed.
Come here and give me a big hug.
embrace to put your arms around someone and hold him or her in a caring way. Embrace is more formal than hug:
Jason warmly embraced his son.
The two leaders embraced each other.
cuddle to put your arms around someone or something as a sign of love, especially a child or a small animal:
She sat on a chair, cuddling her daughter.
He cuddled the puppy.
put your arms around somebody to hold someone closely to your body, especially to comfort them or show that you love them:
The woman put her arms around the sobbing boy.
cradle written to hold someone very gently in your arms, like you would hold a baby:
She held the baby in her arms.
She cradled his head in her hands and kissed him on the forehead

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲