These phrases use the concept of cold to convey various meanings and emotions. So, grab your coat and let’s explore these “cool” idioms together!
What is an idiom for cold?
An idiom for cold is a phrase or expression that uses words related to coldness to convey a particular meaning or idea. These idioms often draw upon the sensations and characteristics of cold to describe various situations, feelings, or behaviors.
Let’s uncover the meanings behind each of these “cool” idioms and see how they can add a touch of frost to our conversations.
| Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Cold as ice | Emotionally distant, unfeeling, or unfriendly. | Even in the face of tragedy, she remained as cold as ice, showing no emotion. |
| Cold shoulder | Deliberately ignoring or treating someone with aloofness and indifference. | After their argument, she gave him the cold shoulder and refused to speak to him. |
| Cold feet | Feeling nervous or hesitant about taking a particular action, often at the last moment. | He had cold feet about bungee jumping and decided not to go through with it. |
| Cold-hearted | Lacking compassion, empathy, or kindness. | His cold-hearted response to the homeless man’s plea shocked everyone. |
| In cold blood | Committing a cruel or deliberate act without emotion or remorse. | The murder was committed in cold blood, with no apparent motive. |
| Catch one’s death of cold | Becoming severely ill due to exposure to cold weather. | She went out in the rain without a jacket and could catch her death of cold. |
| Give someone the cold shoulder | Deliberately ignoring or snubbing someone. | When he asked for help, she gave him the cold shoulder, making him feel unwelcome. |
| Left out in the cold | Being excluded or neglected, often in a social or professional context. | After the team’s success, he felt left out in the cold, as if his contributions were ignored. |
| Stone cold | Completely cold, with no warmth. | The coffee was left out for hours and had become stone cold. |
| Cold sweat | Breaking into a sweat due to fear, anxiety, or nervousness. | The thought of giving a speech in front of a large audience made her break out in a cold sweat. |
| Cold turkey | Quitting or stopping something abruptly, often referring to addiction or habits. | He decided to quit smoking cold turkey and never touched a cigarette again. |
| Cold war | A state of political tension and hostility between two countries without direct military conflict. | The Cold War era was marked by the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. |
| Cold fish | Being emotionally distant, unresponsive, or lacking warmth. | She’s a bit of a cold fish; it’s hard to connect with her on a personal level. |
| Cold comfort | Receiving little or no consolation or relief from a situation. | His apology was cold comfort after the damage he had caused. |
| Out in the cold | Being excluded or left uninformed about something, often intentionally. | They kept him out in the cold regarding the company’s future plans. |
| Cold hands, warm heart | Suggesting that a person who appears reserved or aloof may actually be kind and caring. | Don’t be fooled by his distant demeanor; he has a warm heart. |
| Leave someone out in the cold | Excluding or neglecting someone intentionally. | They decided to leave her out in the cold when making important decisions about the project. |
| In the cold light of day | Considering something rationally and objectively, often after emotions have subsided. | In the cold light of day, he realized that his impulsive decision was a mistake. |
| In cold storage | Putting something aside or postponing it, often indefinitely. | The project was put in cold storage due to budget constraints. |
| Cold as a cucumber | Remaining calm and composed, even in stressful situations. | She stayed as cold as a cucumber during the crisis, handling everything with grace. |
| Cold as a witch’s teat | Describing something extremely cold or uninviting. | The old cabin was as cold as a witch’s teat in the winter. |
| Cold as a corpse | Describing something or someone as lifeless and without warmth. | The room felt cold as a corpse after the heating system malfunctioned. |
| Cold as a mackerel | Describing someone who is unemotional and unresponsive. | When she heard the news, she remained as cold as a mackerel, not showing any emotion. |
| Cold as charity | Describing something given or done with reluctance and without warmth or enthusiasm. | Her apology was as cold as charity; it lacked sincerity. |
| Cold as a stone | Describing something as extremely cold and unyielding. | The frozen lake was as cold as a stone, and walking on it was treacherous. |
| Cold as a clam | Describing someone as calm and composed, especially in difficult situations. | Even in the face of adversity, she remained as cold as a clam, never losing her composure. |
| Cold as a mountain stream | Describing something as refreshingly cold and invigorating. | After the hike, they cooled off in the mountain stream, which was as cold as a mountain stream can be. |
The cold was like a relentless icy grip, freezing everything in its path and numbing the senses. For more comparisons to describe cold, you can check this link: Similes for cold. And for a variety of metaphors related to cold, you can explore this link: Metaphors for cold.
Idioms for Cold
1. Cold as ice
Meaning: To describe someone or something as emotionally distant, unfeeling, or unfriendly.
In a Sentence: Even in the face of tragedy, she remained as cold as ice, showing no emotion.
2. Cold shoulder
Meaning: To deliberately ignore or treat someone with aloofness and indifference.
In a Sentence: After their argument, she gave him the cold shoulder and refused to speak to him.
3. Cold feet
Meaning: To feel nervous or hesitant about taking a particular action, often at the last moment.
In a Sentence: He had cold feet about bungee jumping and decided not to go through with it.
4. Cold-hearted
Meaning: To describe someone as lacking compassion, empathy, or kindness.
In a Sentence: His cold-hearted response to the homeless man’s plea shocked everyone.
5. In cold blood
Meaning: To describe a cruel or deliberate act that is done without emotion or remorse.
In a Sentence: The murder was committed in cold blood, with no apparent motive.
6. Catch one’s death of cold
Meaning: To become severely ill due to exposure to cold weather.
In a Sentence: She went out in the rain without a jacket and could catch her death of cold.
7. Give someone the cold shoulder
Meaning: To intentionally ignore or snub someone.
In a Sentence: When he asked for help, she gave him the cold shoulder, making him feel unwelcome.
8. Left out in the cold
Meaning: To be excluded or neglected, often in a social or professional context.
In a Sentence: After the team’s success, he felt left out in the cold, as if his contributions were ignored.
9. Stone cold
Meaning: To describe something as completely cold, with no warmth.
In a Sentence: The coffee was left out for hours and had become stone cold.
10. Cold sweat
Meaning: To break into a sweat due to fear, anxiety, or nervousness.
In a Sentence: The thought of giving a speech in front of a large audience made her break out in a cold sweat.
11. Cold turkey
Meaning: To quit or stop something abruptly, often referring to addiction or habits.
In a Sentence: He decided to quit smoking cold turkey and never touched a cigarette again.
12. Cold war
Meaning: A state of political tension and hostility between two countries without direct military conflict.
In a Sentence: The Cold War era was marked by the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union.
13. Cold fish
Meaning: To describe someone as emotionally distant, unresponsive, or lacking warmth.
In a Sentence: She’s a bit of a cold fish; it’s hard to connect with her on a personal level.
14. Cold comfort
Meaning: To receive little or no consolation or relief from a situation.
In a Sentence: His apology was cold comfort after the damage he had caused.
15. Out in the cold
Meaning: To be excluded or left uninformed about something, often intentionally.
In a Sentence: They kept him out in the cold regarding the company’s future plans.
16. Cold hands, warm heart
Meaning: To suggest that a person who appears reserved or aloof may actually be kind and caring.
In a Sentence: Don’t be fooled by his distant demeanor; he has a warm heart.
17. Leave someone out in the cold
Meaning: To exclude or neglect someone intentionally.
In a Sentence: They decided to leave her out in the cold when making important decisions about the project.
18. In the cold light of day
Meaning: To consider something rationally and objectively, often after emotions have subsided.
In a Sentence: In the cold light of day, he realized that his impulsive decision was a mistake.
19. In cold storage
Meaning: To describe something that is put aside or postponed, often indefinitely.
In a Sentence: The project was put in cold storage due to budget constraints.
20. Cold as a cucumber
Meaning: To remain calm and composed, even in stressful situations.
In a Sentence: She stayed as cold as a cucumber during the crisis, handling everything with grace.
21. Cold as a witch’s teat
Meaning: To describe something extremely cold or uninviting.
In a Sentence: The old cabin was as cold as a witch’s teat in the winter.
22. Cold as a corpse
Meaning: To describe something or someone as lifeless and without warmth.
In a Sentence: The room felt cold as a corpse after the heating system malfunctioned.
23. Cold as a mackerel
Meaning: To describe someone who is unemotional and unresponsive.
In a Sentence: When she heard the news, she remained as cold as a mackerel, not showing any emotion.
24. Cold as charity
Meaning: To describe something given or done with reluctance and without warmth or enthusiasm.
In a Sentence: Her apology was as cold as charity; it lacked sincerity.
25. Cold as a stone
Meaning: To describe something as extremely cold and unyielding.
In a Sentence: The frozen lake was as cold as a stone, and walking on it was treacherous.
26. Cold as a clam
Meaning: To describe someone as calm and composed, especially in difficult situations.
In a Sentence: Even in the face of adversity, she remained as cold as a clam, never losing her composure.
27. Cold as a mountain stream
Meaning: To describe something as refreshingly cold and invigorating.
In a Sentence: After the hike, they cooled off in the mountain stream, which was as cold as a mountain stream can be.
Quizzes About The Idioms in The Article
Here are 10 quiz questions about the idioms related to cold from the article:
Quiz 1:
- What does the idiom “Cold as ice” mean?
- a) Feeling chilly
- b) Being emotionally distant or unfriendly
- c) Having a fever
Quiz 2:
- What does the expression “Give someone the cold shoulder” signify?
- a) Offering a warm welcome
- b) Deliberately ignoring or snubbing someone
- c) Sharing a meal
Quiz 3:
- What is the meaning of “Cold feet” as an idiom?
- a) Extremely cold weather
- b) Feeling nervous or hesitant about taking an action
- c) Chilling sensation in the body
Quiz 4:
- How would you define the idiom “In cold blood”?
- a) Taking a cold shower
- b) Committing a cruel or deliberate act without emotion or remorse
- c) Reacting emotionally
Quiz 5:
- Which idiom describes becoming severely ill due to exposure to cold weather?
- a) Cold turkey
- b) Catch one’s death of cold
- c) Cold shoulder
Quiz 6:
- What does “Cold sweat” mean in idiomatic terms?
- a) Exercising in cold weather
- b) Breaking into a sweat due to fear, anxiety, or nervousness
- c) Enjoying ice cream
Quiz 7:
- What does “Stone cold” refer to as an idiom?
- a) Completely cold, with no warmth
- b) A type of cold medicine
- c) A famous sculpture
Quiz 8:
- What is the meaning of “Left out in the cold”?
- a) Feeling chilly outside
- b) Being excluded or neglected, often intentionally
- c) Having a warm conversation
Quiz 9:
- What does the expression “Cold hands, warm heart” suggest?
- a) Someone with cold hands has a warm heart
- b) A person who appears reserved or aloof may actually be kind and caring
- c) A person with warm hands is more compassionate
Quiz 10:
- How would you describe the idiom “In cold storage”?
- a) Keeping food in a refrigerator
- b) Putting something aside or postponing it, often indefinitely
- c) Enjoying cold beverages
Answers:
- b) Being emotionally distant or unfriendly
- b) Deliberately ignoring or snubbing someone
- b) Feeling nervous or hesitant about taking an action
- b) Committing a cruel or deliberate act without emotion or remorse
- b) Catch one’s death of cold
- b) Breaking into a sweat due to fear, anxiety, or nervousness
- a) Completely cold, with no warmth
- b) Being excluded or neglected, often intentionally
- b) A person who appears reserved or aloof may actually be kind and caring
- b) Putting something aside or postponing it, often indefinitely
Conclusion
These idioms related to cold offer us a frosty, yet intriguing, glimpse into the world of expressions. They allow us to describe emotions, actions, and situations with a touch of coldness and detachment.
