Expressions with ‘cold’

Let's talk about a few expressions that include the word 'cold'.

• Get cold feet (not do something because you get nervous): She wanted to sing at the concert

but then she got cold feet.

• Blow hot and cold (often change your opinion about something): I blow hot and cold about

London. Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it.

• Give someone the cold shoulder (not be friendly to someone): She gave him the cold shoulder

after they broke up.

• Leave someone cold (not impress someone): I'm afraid that film really left me cold.

• Throw cold water on something (say an idea isn't good): Please don't throw cold water on my

idea! Let me try it.

• A cold snap (a short period of cold weather): We in the middle of a cold snap right now.

• Be cold comfort (not be comforting): She wanted to win first prize, so coming fourth was cold

comfort.

• Be knocked out cold (be made unconscious): The boxer was knocked out cold.

• Cold hard cash (money): Don't give me presents! I want cold hard cash!

• In cold blood (of a crime, not at the moment of being angry or upset): He killed the man in

cold blood.

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Let's review! What's the missing word or words?

1. He's looking for cold hard ____________________ for his work, not an exchange.

2. Everyone seems to like that new restaurant, but it ____________________ me cold.

3. It's freezing! I wish this cold ____________________ would end.

4. They say he murdered the people in cold ____________________.

5. He gave us the cold ____________________ after we refused to help him.

6. I'm worried that James will get cold ____________________ and refuse to talk at the

conference.

7. Why do you always throw cold ____________________ on my plans?

8. It's hard to know what he thinks about this project because he blows ____________________

and cold.

9. The refund is cold ____________________. I wanted a holiday in the sun!

10. She fell over while she was skiing and was ____________________ out cold.

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May be freely copied for personal or classroom use
Answers

1. He's looking for cold hard cash for his work, not an exchange.

2. Everyone seems to like that new restaurant, but it leaves me cold.

3. It's freezing! I wish this cold snap would end.

4. They say he murdered the people in cold blood.

5. He gave us the cold shoulder after we refused to help him.

6. I'm worried that James will get cold feet and refuse to talk at the conference.

7. Why do you always throw cold water on my plans?

8. It's hard to know what he thinks about this project because he blows hot and cold.

9. The refund is cold comfort. I wanted a holiday in the sun!

10. She fell over while she was skiing and was knocked out cold.

© www.perfect-english-grammar.com
May be freely copied for personal or classroom use