cold
cold — adjective
1. noticeably colder than what a person finds comfortable — used for weather, food,
noticeably colder than what a person finds comfortable — used for weather, food, drinks, objects, and parts of the body.
The water in the lake was too cold for swimming.
collocation: cold water / cold weather
Ravi put on a woollen hat because the wind felt cold.
The pizza had gone cold while we waited for Priya.
collocation: go cold (become cold after being warm)
The clinic floor tiles felt cold against bare feet.
Leila poured cold milk into her hot coffee and stirred.
collocation: cold milk / cold drink
- cold water
- cold weather
- cold air
- cold wind
- cold drink
- cold food
- cold shower
- feel cold
- get cold
- turn cold
- go cold
- bitterly cold
Grammar Patterns
be/get/feel/grow/turn + cold
cold + noun
Usage Note
Commonly used after linking verbs: be/get/feel/turn/grow cold. For food and drinks that are served at a low temperature on purpose (e.g. cold beer, cold noodles), use iced or chilled for emphasis on 'intentionally served cold' vs. 'has lost its heat.'
Common Mistakes
2. behaving toward others in a way that shows no warmth, kindness, or friendly feel
behaving toward others in a way that shows no warmth, kindness, or friendly feeling — used of a person's manner, voice, expression, or the atmosphere in a room or relationship.
The new manager gave the team a cold stare when they arrived late.
collocation: cold stare / cold look / cold voice
Yusuf tried to start a conversation, but the receptionist remained cold and distant.
A cold atmosphere filled the room after the argument.
collocation: cold atmosphere
Diego received a cold welcome when he joined the new team.
Hana received a cold reply and decided not to ask again.
collocation: cold reply / cold response
- cold stare
- cold voice
- cold welcome
- cold response
- cold reply
- cold atmosphere
- cold to/toward
- cold shoulder
- unfriendly
direct synonym; not showing friendliness
- distant
emotionally removed, not engaging with others
- chilly
less intense than cold; a chilly response is cool but not openly hostile
- icy
very cold and hostile; stronger intensity than cold
Grammar Patterns
be + cold + to/toward + noun
cold + noun (stare/voice/response/welcome)
Usage Note
Unlike sense 1 (LOW TEMPERATURE), this sense only applies to people, their behaviour, words, looks, or the mood of a situation — not to physical objects or weather. Distinguish from sense 1 by checking whether the subject is a person or an abstract quality.
Common Mistakes
3. describing a criminal investigation that remains open after years with no progre
describing a criminal investigation that remains open after years with no progress, making it unlikely that the case will ever be closed.
The detective still works on cold cases from twenty years ago.
collocation: cold case
A cold murder case was reopened after a witness came forward with new information.
Police moved the cold files to storage after all leads went nowhere.
collocation: cold files / cold investigation
The department formed a cold case unit to examine old unsolved crimes.
- cold case
- cold file
- cold murder
- cold investigation
- cold case unit
- unsolved
broader term; any problem or mystery that has not been solved
Grammar Patterns
cold + noun (case/murder/investigation/file)
Usage Note
Only used attributively before a noun (cold case, cold file, cold investigation). Cannot be used predicatively: 'The case is cold' is acceptable in informal police jargon, but learners should stick to attributive use.
Common Mistakes
4. situation in a guessing game where the player is far from the solution they are
situation in a guessing game where the player is far from the solution they are hunting for — used as a clue to guide the seeker.
In the treasure hunt the children were told they were cold.
When the player is cold the hidden object is far from their guess.
game rule: 'cold' = far from answer; 'hot' = close
Kofi knew he was cold when his teammates laughed at his guess.
The teacher told Noa she was cold and should look in a different room.
- be cold
- getting colder
- cold in a game
- cold far from
- far off
informal; not close to the correct answer in a game or search
- hot
very close to the answer or hiding place in a game
Grammar Patterns
be + cold
you're getting colder
Usage Note
Used exclusively in children's guessing games and some detective-style activities. The opposite is hot (very close). Learners often encounter this in the expression 'you're getting warmer' vs. 'you're getting colder.'
Common Mistakes
to become infected with or suffer from a common illness that causes sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose.
Theo caught a cold after standing in the rain for an hour.
Aiko had a bad cold and stayed in bed all weekend.
to deliberately ignore or treat someone in an unfriendly way.
After the argument Olga gave her roommate the cold shoulder for a week.
The old friends stopped speaking and gave each other the cold shoulder.
get cold feet
idiomto suddenly feel too nervous or frightened to do something you had planned to do.
Ravi got cold feet about the wedding and almost didn't show up.
The singer got cold feet before walking onto the stage.
in cold blood
idiomin a cruel and deliberate way, without any emotion or pity — used especially about murder.
The jury found that the crime was committed in cold blood.
No one could understand how someone could kill in cold blood.
to criticize an idea or plan and make people feel less excited about it.
The manager poured cold water on the proposal for a new office.
I do not want to pour cold water on your plans, but the budget is very tight.
cold comfort
idiomsomething that does not make a sad or difficult situation feel any better.
The apology was cold comfort to the family who lost their home.
Knowing the flight was safe was cold comfort when the luggage was lost.
To keep changing your opinion or feelings about something.
Mia blows hot and cold about joining the gym every week.
Why do you always blow hot and cold about your career plans?
a cold fish
idiomA person who seems unfriendly and shows no strong emotions.
Our new neighbor is a cold fish; he never smiles.
Don't expect sympathy from Mr. Lee; he's a cold fish.
get/have cold feet
idiomTo suddenly become too nervous to do something you planned.
Sara got cold feet and canceled her wedding.
Brian had cold feet before his big presentation.
To deliberately ignore or be unfriendly to someone.
After the argument, Lisa gave me the cold shoulder.
Why did you give your brother the cold shoulder at dinner?
go hot and cold
idiomTo suddenly feel very frightened or worried.
When the lights went out, I went hot and cold.
She went hot and cold hearing the strange noise.
When you think about something calmly later, especially the next morning.
In the cold light of day, the problem seemed smaller.
The decision looked foolish in the cold light of day.
leave somebody cold
idiomTo fail to interest or excite someone at all.
The new movie left me cold; I almost fell asleep.
Classical music leaves my brother cold.
To make someone very frightened or horrified.
The ghost story made my blood run cold.
The scream in the dark made our blood run cold.
To criticize or discourage a plan or idea by giving negative reasons.
The manager threw cold water on our proposal.
Don't pour cold water on her dream of becoming a singer.
cold — noun
1. a common viral infection that affects your upper airways, causing sneezing, coug
a common viral infection that affects your upper airways, causing sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose.
Tomás caught a cold and stayed home from school for two days.
collocation: catch a cold
Drink plenty of hot tea when you have a cold to soothe your throat.
collocation: have a cold
The cold spread quickly through the classroom in winter.
Hana's cold got better after she rested and drank warm soup.
The pharmacist recommended some medicine for my cold.
collocation: medicine for a cold
- catch a cold
- have a cold
- get a cold
- come down with a cold
- bad cold
- nasty cold
- cold medicine
- cold symptoms
- head cold
a cold that mainly affects the nose and sinuses
- common cold
the full medical name for this illness
Grammar Patterns
have/get/catch + a cold
come down with + a cold
Usage Note
Requires the article 'a' in singular form: 'I have a cold' — not 'I have cold.' The plural 'colds' is common: 'She catches three colds every winter.' Do not capitalise it like a medical diagnosis name.
Common Mistakes
2. low temperature in the air or in the environment; weather that feels cold or the
low temperature in the air or in the environment; weather that feels cold or the absence of warmth.
Amara went inside after standing in the cold for half an hour.
collocation: in the cold
Farmers worry about the cold when it threatens their fruit trees.
The cold of the night forced the campers to build a fire.
A sudden cold swept across the city after the storm passed.
collocation: sudden cold / bitter cold
The animals sought shelter from the cold in a cave.
- the cold
- in the cold
- bitter cold
- extreme cold
- cold weather
- escape the cold
- protect from the cold
- cold air
- coldness
the quality or state of being cold; more abstract
- low temperature
technical term for the scientific measure
- chill
a mild, unpleasant coldness in the air
- heat
high temperature; hot weather
Grammar Patterns
the + cold
in the cold
escape/protect from the cold
Usage Note
Typically used with the definite article 'the cold' when referring to cold weather in general, or without an article when used in abstract compounds (cold tolerance, cold protection). Distinguish from sense 1 (ILLNESS): 'the cold' = low temperature, 'a cold' = illness.
Common Mistakes
cold — adverb
1. in a way that is total and complete, especially when stopping or ending somethin
in a way that is total and complete, especially when stopping or ending something with no hesitation or possibility of continuing.
The engine stopped cold when the fuel line snapped.
pattern: stop + cold (completely and suddenly)
The negotiations came to a halt cold after the deal fell through.
Diego quit the project cold and walked out without a word.
pattern: quit + cold
The car stopped cold in the middle of the highway.
- stop cold
- quit cold
- halt cold
- completely
standard adverb; less vivid but works in all registers
Grammar Patterns
Verb + cold (stop/quit/halt)
Usage Note
Only combines with a narrow set of verbs of stopping or ending: stop cold, quit cold, halt cold. Not productive — you cannot say 'finish cold' or 'end cold.'
Common Mistakes
2. without any previous introduction, warning, or arrangement — used especially whe
without any previous introduction, warning, or arrangement — used especially when contacting or approaching someone for the first time.
The salesperson cold-called every home in the area.
compound: cold-call (contact without prior notice)
Rashida cold-emailed the CEO and was surprised to get a reply.
The journalist cold-approached the athlete after the match.
pattern: cold-approach + person
Theo walked in cold and asked to speak to the manager.
- cold-call
- cold-email
- cold-approach
- cold-contact
- unannounced
more formal; without prior notice
- by appointment
with prior arrangement
Grammar Patterns
cold + Verb (call/approach/contact/email)
Usage Note
Often combined with a verb using a hyphen to form compounds: cold-call, cold-email, cold-approach. The hyphen is optional but common in written English.
Common Mistakes
3. without any practice, rehearsal, or physical warm-up before starting a performan
without any practice, rehearsal, or physical warm-up before starting a performance, sport, or activity.
The singer had to perform cold when the warm-up act fell ill.
pattern: perform + cold (without rehearsal)
The actor delivered the lines cold without having read the script.
The basketball player went into the game cold after missing practice.
pattern: go into + cold
Students were asked to give a speech cold on the first day.
- perform cold
- sing cold
- speak cold
- go in cold
- play cold
- deliver cold
- unprepared
standard adverb; without prior preparation
- after warming up
after preparation or rehearsal
Grammar Patterns
Verb + cold (perform/sing/play/go in)
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (WITHOUT NOTICE): sense 2 is about contacting people without prior arrangement; sense 3 is about performing an activity without prior preparation. Both can appear in the same sentence: 'He cold-called a client (sense 2) and then gave a presentation cold (sense 3).'
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
Cool, chilly, cold, freezing, and icy sit along a temperature gradient with different connotations. Cool (A2) describes a pleasantly low temperature — a cool breeze on a summer evening is refreshing. Chilly (B1) adds mild discomfort: a chilly autumn morning makes you want a jacket, but it is not unbearable. Cold (A1) is the neutral, all-purpose term for temperatures well below what the body finds comfortable — cold weather, cold hands, cold soup. Freezing (B1) intensifies cold to the point where water turns to ice, often used informally for anything very cold: 'I am freezing in this unheated room.' Icy (B1) emphasizes the presence of ice or a biting quality — an icy wind cuts through clothing, and icy roads are slippery and dangerous. Use cool for comfort, chilly for slight discomfort, cold for a strong temperature difference, freezing for extreme cold, and icy specifically when ice or a sharp, biting quality is involved. 'A cool drink on a hot day tastes wonderful, but a cold drink from the fridge is what you reach for when you need serious refreshment.'
Common collocations
Nouns
- cold water
- cold weather
- cold air
- cold wind
- cold case
- cold war
Adverbs
- bitterly cold
- extremely cold
- freezing cold
- ice cold
- piercingly cold
Phrases
- in the cold
- out in the cold
- cold and wet
- hot and cold
Prepositions
- cold to
- cold toward
Etymology
The word 'cold' comes from Old English 'cald' or 'ceald', which meant having a low temperature. This goes back to Proto-Germanic '*kaldaz', from the Proto-Indo-European root '*gel-' meaning 'cold' or 'to freeze.' The same ancient root gave Latin 'gelu' (frost, ice) and later English words like 'gelatin' and 'congeal.' The sense of 'unfriendly' emerged in Old English as a natural metaphor — emotional coldness likened to physical cold. The criminal-investigation sense ('cold case') appeared in American English around the 1950s, and the adverb uses ('stop cold', 'cold-call') developed in the 19th and 20th centuries.