cold-shoulder
A woman giving another the cold shoulder.
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Informal deliberate indifference or coldness; a slight, rebuff, or snub: often used with the
Related Forms:
- cold-shoulder transitive verb
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
noun Informal
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Deliberate coldness or disregard; a slight or a snub: received the cold shoulder from several members of the club.
cold-shoulder - Cultural Definition
To “give someone the cold shoulder” is to ignore someone deliberately: “At the party, Carl tried to talk to Suzanne, but she gave him the cold shoulder.”
cold-shoulder - Phrases/Idioms
Deliberate coldness or disregard, a slight or snub. For example, When I said hello to her in the library, she gave me the cold shoulder and walked away. This term, which first appeared in writings by Sir Walter Scott and others, supposedly alludes to the custom of welcoming a desired guest with a meal of roasted meat, but serving only a cold shoulder of beef or lamb—a far inferior dish—to those who outstayed their welcome. [Early 1800s]
cold-shoulder
Variant of cold shoulder
Informal deliberate indifference or coldness; a slight, rebuff, or snub: often used with the
Related Forms:
- cold-shoulder transitive verb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.