Explanation at your level:
When you are cold, you need a coat. If the weather is cold, you might stay inside. Drink cold water when you are thirsty.
It is very cold in the winter. Do you like cold weather? My hands feel cold because I forgot my gloves.
The room was quite cold, so I turned on the heater. Sometimes people act cold when they are having a bad day.
He gave me a cold look, which made me feel unwelcome. The negotiations went cold after the company refused to sign.
Her cold logic was difficult to argue with, even though it lacked empathy. The case has gone cold, meaning the police have no new leads.
The cold indifference of the bureaucracy was chilling. In literary terms, a cold beauty describes someone who is striking but emotionally inaccessible.
Mot en 30 secondes
- Cold means low temperature.
- It can mean unfriendly.
- It is a common adjective.
- It has many idioms.
When we say something is cold, we are usually talking about temperature. It is the opposite of hot. You might feel cold on a winter day, or you might drink a glass of cold water to refresh yourself.
Beyond temperature, cold can describe a person's behavior. If someone is cold, they aren't being very friendly or showing much emotion. It is like their heart is as chilly as a winter morning!
The word cold comes from the Old English word ceald. It has roots in the Proto-Germanic language, which is why it sounds similar to words in other Germanic languages like German (kalt) and Dutch (koud).
Historically, it has always been used to describe the harshness of winter. Over time, it evolved to include the metaphorical meaning of being emotionally distant or unfeeling, which is a common way we use it today.
You will use cold in many daily situations. We often say "It is cold outside" or "I have a cold drink." It is very common in casual conversation.
When describing a person, saying they are "cold" is a bit negative. It suggests they are distant or unfriendly. In formal settings, you might use it to describe a "cold reception" to an idea, meaning people did not like it.
1. Cold feet: To be nervous before a big event. 2. Cold shoulder: To ignore someone on purpose. 3. In cold blood: To do something cruel without emotion. 4. Stone cold: Completely cold. 5. Cold turkey: To stop a habit suddenly.
The word cold is a simple one-syllable adjective. In IPA, it is /koʊld/. It rhymes with words like bold, fold, hold, sold, and told.
You can use it before a noun ("a cold day") or after a linking verb ("the soup is cold"). It is a very versatile word that fits into almost any sentence structure.
Fun Fact
It has been used for over 1,000 years!
Pronunciation Guide
The 'o' is a long diphthong.
The 'o' is a long diphthong.
Common Errors
- Missing the 'd' at the end
- Mispronouncing the long 'o'
- Adding an extra syllable
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Easy
Easy
Easy
Easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanc
Grammar to Know
Adjective placement
Cold weather
Linking verbs
It is cold
Articles
A cold
Examples by Level
It is cold today.
Temperature is low
Adjective usage
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
The water is cold.
I am cold.
Wear a coat, it is cold.
Do you like cold milk?
The wind is cold.
It is a cold night.
My feet are cold.
Don't touch the cold glass.
The soup went cold.
He gave me a cold stare.
I caught a cold.
The weather turned cold.
She has a cold personality.
It was a cold morning.
The trail went cold.
Keep the medicine in a cold place.
He gave me the cold shoulder.
The project was left out in the cold.
She reacted with cold efficiency.
The atmosphere in the room was cold.
They had a cold disagreement.
The evidence was stone cold.
He calculated the risk in cold blood.
The relationship has grown cold.
The detective followed the cold trail.
His cold analysis surprised everyone.
She felt a cold dread.
The political climate is quite cold.
They reached a cold compromise.
The engine was cold to the touch.
He maintained a cold distance.
The reception was notably cold.
The cold detachment of the narrator was striking.
She possessed a cold, calculating intellect.
His response was cold and clinical.
The cold reality of the situation set in.
A cold wind blew through the ruins.
The cold light of dawn revealed the truth.
She felt a cold shiver of fear.
The cold logic of the law.
Collocations courantes
Idioms & Expressions
"Cold shoulder"
To ignore someone
He gave me the cold shoulder.
casual"Cold feet"
To be nervous
I got cold feet before the test.
casual"In cold blood"
Without emotion
The crime was committed in cold blood.
formal"Cold turkey"
Stop a habit suddenly
He quit smoking cold turkey.
casual"Out in the cold"
Excluded
I was left out in the cold.
neutral"Stone cold"
Very cold
The food is stone cold.
neutralEasily Confused
Both relate to temperature
Cool is mild, cold is severe
Cool breeze vs cold wind
Both mean low temp
Chilly is a feeling
I feel chilly
Degree of cold
Freezing is extreme
Freezing water
Physical state
Icy is covered in ice
Icy road
Sentence Patterns
Subject + is + cold
The water is cold.
It + is + cold + today
It is cold today.
I + feel + cold
I feel cold.
A + cold + noun
A cold day.
Subject + gave + someone + the + cold + shoulder
He gave her the cold shoulder.
Famille de mots
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Apparenté
How to Use It
9
Formality Scale
Erreurs courantes
Cold is an adjective or noun, not a verb.
Freezing is more descriptive for extreme cold.
Cool is pleasant, cold is uncomfortable.
Coldly is an adverb.
You have an illness, you don't 'be' it.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine an ice cube.
Native Speakers
Use it for weather.
Insight
Cold means distant.
Shortcut
Adjective usage.
Say It Right
Clear D sound.
Don't Make This Mistake
Not a verb.
Did You Know?
Old English roots.
Study Smart
Use flashcards.
Better Writing
Use synonyms.
Hear It
Listen to songs.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Cold: C-O-L-D (Can Only Love Days that are warm?)
Visual Association
A snowman
Word Web
Défi
Use 'cold' in 3 sentences today.
Origine du mot
Old English
Original meaning: Ceald
Contexte culturel
None
Cold is often used to describe personality in business.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Weather
- Cold front
- Cold snap
- Bitterly cold
Health
- Catch a cold
- Common cold
- Cold symptoms
Social
- Cold shoulder
- Cold reception
- Cold stare
Food
- Cold drink
- Cold storage
- Served cold
Conversation Starters
"Do you like cold weather?"
"What do you do when you have a cold?"
"Have you ever been to a very cold place?"
"Do you prefer hot or cold drinks?"
"What does a cold personality mean to you?"
Journal Prompts
Write about a time you were very cold.
Describe your favorite winter memory.
How do you stay warm in the cold?
Explain why some people dislike cold weather.
Questions fréquentes
8 questionsYes, it can be an illness.
Yes, it means you feel the temperature.
Hot.
It is neutral.
C-O-L-D.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Teste-toi
It is ___ outside.
Context of weather.
Which means very cold?
Extreme degree.
A cold person is always friendly.
Cold implies distance.
Word
Signification
Idiomatic meaning.
Correct syntax.
Score : /5
Summary
Cold describes low temperature or lack of emotion.
- Cold means low temperature.
- It can mean unfriendly.
- It is a common adjective.
- It has many idioms.
Memory Palace
Imagine an ice cube.
Native Speakers
Use it for weather.
Insight
Cold means distant.
Shortcut
Adjective usage.
Exemple
I need to wear a thick jacket because it is very cold outside today.
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Apprendre en contexte
Ce mot dans d'autres langues
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