cold turkey
1cold turkey
nounDefinition of COLD TURKEY
1
: abrupt complete cessation of the use of an addictive drug; also : the symptoms experienced by a person undergoing withdrawal from a drug
2
: unrelieved blunt language or procedure
3
: a cold aloof person
— cold–turkey transitive verb
Examples of COLD TURKEY
- I tried lots of ways to stop smoking, even cold turkey.
- <my new boss is a cold turkey and definitely not one for chitchat>
First Known Use of COLD TURKEY
1921
Rhymes with COLD TURKEY
2cold turkey
adverbDefinition of COLD TURKEY
: all at once : abruptly: as a : without a period of gradual adjustment, adaptation, or withdrawal <quit smoking cold turkey> b : without preparation <a new player who started the season cold turkey>
First Known Use of COLD TURKEY
1941
cold tur·key
noun \-ˈtər-kē\ (Medical Dictionary)Medical Definition of COLD TURKEY
: abrupt complete cessation of the use of an addictive drug; also : the symptoms experienced by one undergoing withdrawal from a drug
—cold turkey adverb or transitive verb
Learn More About COLD TURKEY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: cold type
Previous Word in the Dictionary: cold trailing
All Words Near: cold turkey
Previous Word in the Dictionary: cold trailing
All Words Near: cold turkey
Seen & Heard 
What made you want to look up cold turkey? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).


See 








