hot cockles

American  

noun

1. a children's game in which a blindfolded player is hit by one of the other players and then tries to guess which one did the hitting.

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hot cockles British  

noun

1. (functioning as singular) (formerly) a children's game in which one blindfolded player has to guess which other player has hit him

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Etymology

Origin of hot cockles

First recorded in 1540–50

Example Sentences

It's an unoriginal set-up with a predictable narrative arc, but the sparky, snappy yapping between the two leads delivers consistent laughs and inevitable hot cockles.

From The Guardian

Amongst them I may name “The Virgin and Child, with St. John and the Lamb”; three girls playing a game then called “hot cockles”; “A youth riding on a white horse”; “Child seated amongst vines and grapes”; “The Virgin and St. Joseph proceeding to their marriage at the Temple”; two minstrels, such as usually accompany wedding parties; “The martyrdom of St. Sebastian;” “The Israelites preparing to leave Egypt”; “The Prophet Habakkuk awakened by the Angel”; “Three cupids with musical instruments.”

From Project Gutenberg

Hot cockles succeeded next, questions and commands followed that, and last of all they sat down to hunt the slipper.

From Project Gutenberg

After tea in great houses, she goes with the other servants to hot cockles, or What-are-my-thoughts-like, and tells Mr. John to "have done then;" or if there is a ball given that night, they throw open the doors, and make use of the music up stairs to dance by.

From Project Gutenberg

Then came supper, and the evening closed with hot cockles and blind-hoodman—the latter being blindman’s buff.

From Project Gutenberg