cold

Having a low temperature, or feeling that you need more warmth.

• The water is cold.
• My hands were cold after the walk.
• Is it colder outside today?

Similar words: chilly

Opposites: hot, warm

Common phrases: cold water, cold weather, feel cold

Showing little kindness, warmth, or interest in other people.

• His reply was cold.
• She gave me a cold smile.
• Why are you so cold to him?

How to use it: cold to someone (She was cold to her new neighbour.)

Similar words: unfriendly, distant

Opposites: friendly, warm

Common phrases: cold reply, cold welcome, cold to someone

In “cold feet,” feeling nervous about a plan and wanting to avoid carrying it out.

• I got cold feet before the interview.
• She has cold feet about moving abroad.
• Did he get cold feet and cancel the wedding?

How to use it: get cold feet about something (He got cold feet about buying the house.)

Common phrases: get cold feet, have cold feet

In “cold shoulder,” a deliberate refusal to speak to someone or show them friendliness.

• She gave me the cold shoulder.
• He got the cold shoulder from his old friends.
• Why are you giving Sam the cold shoulder?

How to use it: give someone the cold shoulder (My colleagues gave me the cold shoulder.)

Common phrases: the cold shoulder, give the cold shoulder

In “out cold,” completely unconscious or deeply asleep.

• He was out cold on the sofa.
• The punch knocked her out cold.
• After the long journey, we were all out cold.

How to use it: be out cold (After the fall, he was out cold.)

Similar words: unconscious

Opposites: conscious

Common phrases: out cold, knock someone out cold

In “stop cold,” suddenly and completely, without continuing any further.

• The loud crash stopped me cold.
• Her question stopped him cold in the doorway.
• The engine stopped cold halfway up the hill.

Common phrases: stop cold, halt cold

A common mild illness that makes your nose run and may cause a sore throat or cough.

• I have a cold.
• She caught a cold at school.
• His cold lasted nearly a week.

Common phrases: catch a cold, have a cold, bad cold

Low temperatures or weather that makes you need warm clothes.

• Come inside, out of the cold.
• These gloves protect your hands from the cold.
• The plants died in the extreme cold.

Similar words: chill

Opposites: heat

Common phrases: in the cold, out of the cold, extreme cold