27 Cold Idioms in English with Meanings and Examples • 7ESL

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In everyday conversation, we often use phrases that paint pictures or evoke certain feelings, especially when the temperature drops. These expressions are known as idioms. Cold idioms, for example, are a fascinating set of phrases that draw on the chilliness of weather to convey more abstract ideas or emotions. Whether we’re talking about relationships, opportunities, or attitudes, we turn to these frosty expressions to add color to our language.

Cold Idioms List

Idiom
Feeling Under the Weather	Cold snap
Giving Someone the Cold Shoulder	Cold turkey
Cold Feet	Cold, hard cash
Break the Ice	Cold comfort
Caught a cold	Out in the cold
Cold as ice	Cold-hearted
A cold day in July	Blood runs cold
Cold as a witch’s tit	Leave out in the cold
The cold light of day	Cold fish
Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey	Stone-cold sober
Throw cold water on	Get cold feet
In cold blood	Cold as the grave
Cold cut

What are Cold Idioms?

In our language, we often use phrases known as idioms to express ideas in a figurative rather than literal way. Cold idioms are a collection of sayings that incorporate the concept of coldness to convey a variety of meanings. Let’s explore some common ones and their uses:

Catch a cold: To become ill with the common cold.
Example: “I think I’ve caught a cold; I can’t stop sneezing.”
Cold snap: A short period of unusually cold weather.
Example: “Pack your warmest jacket because a cold snap is expected this week.”
Left out in the cold: To be excluded from a group or activity.
Example: “Not getting invited to the meeting, I felt left out in the cold.”

Cold Idioms with Meaning and Example

Idioms	Meanings with Example Sentences
Cold as ice	Lacking warmth or feeling; unemotional. Example: Her response to his apology was as cold as ice.
Cold snap	A sudden, brief period of cold weather. Example: A cold snap* hit the town, and the lakes froze over.*
Cold turkey	To abruptly stop a habit or addiction without tapering off. Example: He quit smoking cold turkey.
Cold, hard cash	Money in the form of bills and coins, as opposed to checks or credit. Example: The seller wanted cold, hard cash* for the car.*
Cold comfort	Minimal or inadequate comfort; something that is not very comforting at all. Example: Knowing he wasn’t the only one who failed was a cold comfort* to him.*
Out in the cold	Excluded from benefits or activities. Example: When the new CEO took over, many old employees were left out in the cold.
Cold-hearted	Lacking empathy or warmth; unfeeling. Example: The way she dismissed his feelings was truly cold-hearted.
A cold day in July	A time or event that is very unlikely to happen. Example: You getting up before sunrise is like a cold day in July.
Blood runs cold	To be very frightened or horrified. Example: When she heard the footsteps behind her, her blood ran cold.
Cold as a witch’s tit	Extremely cold. Example: The wind by the ocean was as cold as a witch’s tit.
Leave out in the cold	To exclude someone from a group or an activity. Example: When they didn’t invite her to the meeting, they left her out in the cold.
Cold light of day	The harsh truth of reality. Example: His decision didn’t seem as wise in the cold light of day.
Cold fish	A person who is distant and unemotional. Example: He’s such a cold fish* that he didn’t even congratulate her.*
Cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey	Extremely cold weather. Example: It’s cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey* out there!*
Stone-cold sober	Completely sober; not intoxicated at all. Example: Even though he’d been at the bar for hours, he was stone-cold sober* when he left.*

Popular Cold Idioms

Feeling Under the Weather

Meaning: This idiom means feeling ill or not well.
Usage in context: It’s used to describe a state of mild illness or discomfort, often when someone has symptoms like a cold or a mild headache.
Example: I won’t be coming to the office today; I’m feeling under the weather and need some rest.

Giving Someone the Cold Shoulder

Meaning: To give someone the cold shoulder means to deliberately ignore them or treat them in an unfriendly way.
Usage in context: This phrase is used when someone is being intentionally snubbed or excluded.
Example: Ever since the argument, whenever they cross paths, she has been giving him the cold shoulder.

Cold Feet

Meaning: Getting cold feet is an idiom used to describe a feeling of nervousness or fear that leads someone to hesitate or back out of a situation, often one that involves a commitment.
Usage in context: It’s commonly used in the context of weddings when a bride or groom is nervous about the ceremony, but it can apply to any situation involving second thoughts.
Example: Just before the performance, the lead actor got cold feet and almost didn’t go on stage.

Break the Ice

Meaning: To break the ice means to do or say something to relieve tension or get a conversation going with a group of people who have not met before.
Usage in context: This idiom is used when someone wants to create a more relaxed and friendly atmosphere among strangers or acquaintances.
Example: At the start of the team-building event, the host told a funny anecdote to break the ice.

Caught a Cold

Meaning: This phrase means to have become ill with a cold, a common viral infection that affects the nose, throat, and sinuses.
Usage in context: It’s used when someone has symptoms like sneezing, a runny nose, or a sore throat.
Example: I’m afraid I won’t be able to join the hiking trip this weekend; I’ve caught a cold and I’m feeling quite miserable.

Related Idiom List:

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Jim Manheim

Jim Manheim is a highly skilled writer, editor, and teacher from Michigan, with a wealth of experience and expertise in the English language, including slang and idioms. He is widely recognized as a word geek and a music enthusiast, as well as a grammar and writing expert, with a passion for language that shines through in his work.