ENGLISH
REFERENCE

coldly

adv. manner
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkoʊɫdɫi// UK //kˈəʊldli// cold·ly

adv. in a way that is not warm or friendly. You use this to describe someone who is being very serious, unfriendly, or not showing any emotion.

adv. in a manner that is emotionally detached, unfeeling, or lacking in warmth. Often describes a calculated or pragmatic approach to a situation.


SIMPLE

He looked at her coldly and walked away.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager coldly dismissed the employee's request for a raise, citing company policy and budget constraints.

COMPLEX

The diplomat coldly assessed the situation, ignoring the emotional appeals of the protestors and focusing solely on the strategic implications for the nation's security.

Origin

From Middle English coldliche, caldeliche, perhaps borrowed from Old Norse kaldliga (“coldly”); equivalent to cold + -ly. Displaced Middle English colde (“coldly”), from Old English cealde (“coldly”).

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