# cold

/ˈkoʊɫd/ (US) · /kˈəʊld/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cold
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. low temperature

adjective · CEFR A1

having a low temperature, like ice or a winter day.

For teachers: having a low temperature; lacking heat or warmth relative to the human body.

- It is very cold outside, so you should wear a heavy coat.
- The arctic air mass brought a cold front that plummeted temperatures well below freezing within a matter of hours.

### 2. unfriendly

adjective · CEFR B1

not showing any kindness or emotion.

For teachers: lacking affection, warmth, or enthusiasm; emotionally distant or unfriendly.

- He gave me a cold look when I interrupted his meeting.
- Her response was cold and professional, leaving no room for the personal reconciliation he had hoped to achieve.

### 3. unprepared

adjective · CEFR B2

doing something without any practice or warning.

For teachers: without prior preparation, warming up, or introduction.

- I had to give the presentation cold because the other speaker was late.
- The actor was asked to read the script cold during the audition to test his natural instincts for the character.

### 4. impressive

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang

very cool or impressive.

For teachers: denoting something that is impressive, stylish, or excellent.

- That new car he bought is absolutely cold.
- The producer dropped a cold beat that immediately caught the attention of everyone in the studio.

### 5. rarely accessed data

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

describes computer data that is not used very often.

For teachers: referring to data that is infrequently accessed and can be moved to slower, cheaper storage media.

- We move cold data to a different server to save money.
- The system automatically migrates cold files to long-term cloud storage to optimise the performance of the primary database.

### 6. the illness

noun · CEFR A1

a common illness that makes you cough and sneeze.

For teachers: a common viral infection of the upper respiratory tract.

- I stayed home from work because I caught a bad cold.
- The child was sent home from school after showing symptoms of a common cold, including a persistent cough and congestion.

### 7. low temperature state

noun · CEFR A2

a state of being cold or a cold environment.

For teachers: the sensation or condition of low temperature.

- Don't stand out there in the cold; come inside.
- The explorers struggled against the bitter cold of the mountain peak as the sun began to set.

### 8. without preparation

adverb · CEFR C1 · Informal

doing something completely without getting ready first.

For teachers: in a manner that lacks preparation or a preliminary warm-up.

- She walked into the exam cold and still managed to pass.
- Starting the engine cold in sub-zero temperatures can cause significant wear to the internal components over time.

## Examples

- I need a coat because the weather is very cold.
- The server brought me a cold cup of coffee, so I asked him to heat it up.
- The expedition was forced to retreat when the cold winds became so severe that their specialized equipment began to fail under the extreme thermal stress.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.