cold

[ kohld ]
/ koʊld /

adjective, cold·er, cold·est.

noun

adverb

Idioms for cold

Origin of cold

before 950; Middle English; Old English cald, ceald; cognate with Gothic kalds, Old Norse kaldr, German kalt, Dutch koud; akin to Latin gel- in gelidus gelid

synonym study for cold

1. Cold, chill, chilly, cool refer to various degrees of absence of heat. Cold refers to temperature possibly so low as to cause suffering: cold water. Chill suggests a penetrating cold which causes shivering and numbness: There was a chill wind blowing. Chilly is a weaker word, though it also connotes shivering and discomfort: a chilly room. Cool means merely somewhat cold, not warm: cool and comfortable. All have figurative uses.

OTHER WORDS FROM cold

British Dictionary definitions for catch cold

cold
/ (kəʊld) /

adjective

noun

adverb

informal without preparation he played his part cold
informal, mainly US and Canadian thoroughly; absolutely she turned him down cold

Derived forms of cold

coldish, adjective coldly, adverb coldness, noun

Word Origin for cold

Old English ceald; related to Old Norse kaldr, Gothic kalds, Old High German kalt; see cool

Medical definitions for catch cold

cold
[ kōld ]

n.

A viral infection characterized by inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the upper respiratory passages and usually accompanied by malaise, fever, chills, coughing, and sneezing. coryza acute rhinitis common cold coryza

Idioms and Phrases with catch cold (1 of 2)

catch cold

Also, catch one's death (of cold). Become infected with a cold virus, contract a bad cold, as in Jane manages to catch cold on every important business trip, or Put on your hat or you'll catch your death. The first term originally (16th century) meant becoming chilled by exposure to cold and took on its present meaning in the late 1600s. The hyperbolic variant, often shortened, is somewhat newer.

Idioms and Phrases with catch cold (2 of 2)

cold