Meaning & Definition of word "Cold"

Cold

/koʊld/

noun:

  • 1. A commonly experienced illness characterized by a runny nose, sneezing, and cough.
    • Example: I caught a cold and had to stay home from work.
  • 2. A low temperature or lack of heat.
    • Example: The cold in the early morning made everyone reluctant to leave their warm beds.

verb:

  • 1. To cool something down.
    • Example: You should cold the drinks before the party starts.

adjective:

  • 1. Having a low temperature, especially when compared to the temperature of the human body.
    • Example: The water was too cold for swimming.
  • 2. Characterized by a lack of warmth or emotion.
    • Example: Her cold response surprised everyone in the room.
  • 3. Unharmed or unaffected by heat.
    • Example: The cold metal felt strange against her skin.

Etymology

Old English 'cald', from Proto-Germanic *kalda.

Common Phrases and Expressions

cold shoulder:

To deliberately ignore someone.

cold as ice:

Extremely unemotional or unsympathetic.

cold feet:

Nervousness or hesitation about a planned event.

Related Words

chill:

An uncomfortable feeling of cold.

frost:

A thin layer of ice on surfaces.

ice:

Frozen water.

Slang Meanings of cold

Meaning: Cool or impressive.

Example Sentence: That trick you did on the skateboard was cold!

Meaning: Unfeeling or unfriendly.

Example Sentence: Don't be so cold when you talk to people.

Meaning: Uninformed about something.

Example Sentence: She was cold about the new gossip going around.