It may be coddled
I believe the answer is:
egg
'it may be coddled' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for egg that I've seen before include "Early stage of development" , "Food in a shell" , "Poultry product" , "Incite; ovum" , "It, or chicken, first?" .)