# cotton to

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cotton-to
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To like; approve of, accept, or tolerate.

## Examples

- I did not cotton to his rude attitude at all.
- I think you will cotton to this new hobby once you try it.
- The team did not immediately cotton to the new manager, but they grew to respect her over time.
- My cat does not usually cotton to strangers, but she sat on the visitor's lap and stayed there all evening.
- Although the critics were initially skeptical, they eventually began to cotton to the director's unconventional and experimental style of filmmaking.

## Origin

According to Michael Quinion of World Wide Words, the origin of the phrase is uncertain, though a plausible suggestion links it to the behaviour of textile fibres. The expression may stem from the tendency of a stray cotton thread to adhere to the surface of a garment. In the early 1800s, to cotton to another person implied an attachment or a drawing together, mimicking the way cotton and other fibres were integrated into clothing mixtures. The persistence with which a thread clings to cloth provided the metaphor for a social or personal affinity. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.