❄️ "Cold" Expressions To Use This Winter ❄️
As the temperature begins to drop at the end of the year, it's a great time to learn some English expressions related to coldness.
Although the winter season can be beautiful, you'll notice that many of the expressions below have a negative nuance. Are there any similar expressions in your native language?
“Cold” English Expressions
Cold hearted
We often connect things like love and kindness with warmth because warmth makes us feel comfortable and safe.
So if we call someone "cold hearted," it sounds like they don't have these positive traits. Instead, they appear unfriendly and disconnected from others.
You're not celebrating with us? Don't be so cold hearted!
This expression is similar to another: “to have ice in one’s veins.”
(Veins are the pathways that move blood around to different parts of our bodies.)
My ex-boss never smiled. I think he had ice in his veins.
Get cold feet
“Getting cold feet” means getting nervous. People often use this expression before big, important events.
I used to get cold feet before I gave presentations, but not anymore.
The skydivers got cold feet just before it was time to jump out of the plane.
Cold-call
“Cold-calling” is calling someone you've never spoken to before and have no relation to. It's often done by companies trying to find new customers.
I have to cold-call potential clients all day for my job. It’s not easy!
We only get a small portion of our business from cold calls.
(Stop something) cold turkey
Habits are often hard to break. And although many people gradually stop an activity they want to quit, others don’t want to wait; instead they quit “cold turkey” — or stop immediately.
After smoking for 10 years, Zach quit cold turkey last month.
Sam deleted all of her apps when she decided to get off social media cold turkey.
Cold sweat
We usually sweat because of heat, but "cold sweats" can happen because of fear, nervousness or sickness.
I woke up from a nightmare in a cold sweat last night.
Thinking about the big meeting next week makes me break into a cold sweat.
Cold comfort
“Cold comfort” is something positive that does not actually help a situation improve.
He apologized for starting the rumor, but it was cold comfort after the damage it already caused.
The government's pledge to fight climate change is cold comfort to families whose homes were already destroyed by extreme weather.
Leave someone out in the cold
If you "leave someone out in the cold," you don't include them in a group or activity.
I felt left out in the cold when I lost my phone and couldn't contact my friends.
Many workers were left out in the cold after the company's layoffs.
Cold war
A “cold war” is a war without fighting. In other words, two or more sides are preparing for a fight without attacking each other (yet).
The companies are in a cold war, with each hiring the best engineers before their rivals can.
(When spelled with capital letters, the Cold War usually refers to the intense competition between the United States and the Soviet Union that took place from 1945 to 1991.)
Give someone the cold shoulder
Giving someone “the cold shoulder” means ignoring them or treating them in an unfriendly or unwelcoming way.
Jesse’s been giving me the cold shoulder all week. What did I do to make her upset?
Some of his colleagues gave him the cold shoulder when he was promoted to a new position.
Wrap-up
Remember that the expressions on this list aren't only for the wintertime; fluent speakers use them all year long.
If you'd like to practice in a real conversation, book a lesson with Engoo! Engoo tutors are available 24/7 to chat with you, and each lesson is only 25 minutes long. Give it a try!
