having a relatively low temperature; having little or no warmth

cold water; a cold day.

feeling an uncomfortable lack of warmth; chilled

The skaters were cold.

having a temperature lower than the normal temperature of the human body

cold hands.

lacking in passion, emotion, enthusiasm, ardor, etc.; dispassionate

cold reason.

not affectionate, cordial, or friendly; unresponsive

a cold reply; a cold reception.

lacking sensual desire

She remained cold to his advances.

failing to excite feeling or interest

the cold precision of his prose.

unexcitable; imperturbable

cold impassivity.

depressing; dispiriting

the cold atmosphere of a hospital waiting room.

unconscious because of a severe blow, shock, etc.

I knocked him cold with an uppercut.

lacking the warmth of life; lifeless

When the doctor arrived, the body was already cold.

faint; weak

The dogs lost the cold scent.

(in games) distant from the object of search or the correct answer.

Slang . (in sports and games) not scoring or winning; ineffective

Cold shooting and poor rebounding were their undoing.

Art .

having cool colors, esp. muted tones tending toward grayish blue.

being a cool color.

slow to absorb heat, as a soil containing a large amount of clay and hence retentive of moisture.

Metalworking . noting or pertaining to any process involving plastic deformation of a metal at a temperature below that at which recrystallization can occur because of the strain

cold working.

the relative absence of heat

Everyone suffered from the intense cold.

the sensation produced by loss of heat from the body, as by contact with anything having a lower temperature than that of the body

He felt the cold of the steel door against his cheek.

cold weather

He can't take the cold.

Also called common cold. a respiratory disorder characterized by sneezing, sore throat, coughing, etc., caused by an allergic reaction or by a viral, bacterial, or mixed infection.

with complete competence, thoroughness, or certainty; absolutely

He learned his speech cold.

without preparation or prior notice

She had to play the lead role cold.

in an abrupt, unceremonious manner

He quit the job cold.

Metalworking . at a temperature below that at which recrystallization can occur (sometimes used in combination)

to cold-hammer an iron bar; The wire was drawn cold.

catch or take cold

to get or suffer from a cold

We all caught cold during that dreadful winter.

go cold

Slang . (in sports and games) to become unproductive or ineffective; be unable to score.

in cold blood. blood ( def. 20 ) .

in from the cold, out of a position or condition of exile, concealment, isolation

or alienation

Since the new government promised amnesty, fugitive rebels are coming in from the cold.

left out in the cold

neglected; ignored; forgotten

After the baby came, the young husband felt left out in the cold. Also, out in the cold.

throw cold water on

to disparage; disapprove of; dampen the enthusiasm of

They threw cold water on her hopes to take acting classes.

noun

chill , chilliness , coolness