Lexic.us

Definition of Cold turkey

1. Noun. A blunt expression of views. "I told him cold turkey"

2. Noun. Complete and abrupt withdrawal of all addictive drugs or anything else on which you have become dependent. "She quit her job cold turkey"

Definition of Cold turkey

1. Noun. The sudden and complete withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug ¹

2. Noun. The physiological effects of such a withdrawal ¹

3. Adverb. (idiomatic) Not gradually; all at once. Refers especially to quitting a habit by force of will rather than by a gradual reduction. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Cold Turkey

cold sober cold sores cold spell cold spleen lesion cold spot cold spots cold stage cold steel cold storage cold stuffed tomato

cold sweat cold tap cold thyroid nodule cold trap cold turkey (current term) cold ulcer cold urticaria cold virus cold war cold wave

cold waves cold weather cold work cold working coldblood coldblooded coldbloodedly coldbloodedness coldcock

Literary usage of Cold turkey

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. European and American Cuisine by Mrs. Gesine Knubel Lemcke, Gesine Lemcke (1914)
"cold turkey. Turkey a la Bechamel.—Cut the remnants of roast or boiled turkey into small pieces; crack the bones and place them in a saucepan, ..."

2. The American Salad Book by Maximilian De Loup (1900)
"cold turkey with oysters and pieces of acid orange can be used for filling. ... cold turkey makes an excellent salad, made in exactly the same way as ..."

3. Practical Housekeeping: A Careful Compilation of Tried and Approved Recipes by Estelle Woods Wilcox, Bertha Clow (1883)
"SUPPER—Muffins, cold turkey, canned fruit, tea cakes. 24. BREAKFAST—Breakfast wheat, broiled spare ribs, tomato sauce. DIN- NEK—Boiled ham with cabbage, ..."

4. The American Salad Book by Maximilian De Loup (1899)
"cold turkey makes an excellent salad, made in exactly the same way as chicken salad. In boiling use as little water as possible. ..."

5. Mrs. Gilpin's Frugalities: Remnants and 200 Ways of Using Them by Susan Anna Brown (1883)
"Boil up once, and then stir into itone heaping cupful of cold turkey cut up into dice ; pepper, salt, and a very little mace. Woodlawn Croquettes. ..."

6. The Dixie Cook-book by Estelle Woods Wilcox (1883)
"SUPPER—Muffins, cold turkey, canned fruit, tea cakes. 21. BREAKFAST—Breakfast wheat, broiled spare ribs, tomato sauce. DINNER—Boiled ham with cabbage, ..."

7. The Practical Hotel Steward by John Tellman (1913)
"cold turkey: 8 ozs. (60 cents) Sliced. Serve on 10-inch silver platter, ... cold turkey ana Bam: 6 ozs. ham, 4 ozs. Same as Cold Chicken and Ham. ..."

8. The Works of Theodore Roosevelt: Or, The History of the United States Navy by Theodore Roosevelt (1903)
"So cold turkey got him down, lay on him, choked him by the throat with one hand, ... To the onlookers the fate of the battle seemed decided; but cold turkey ..."

Other Resources: