American English
/kʰoʊld̚/
One syllable.
having a low temperature; not warm
Practice out loudhaving a low temperature; not warm
The water is cold.
I put on a jacket because the room was cold.
Cold usually means a low, uncomfortable temperature; cool means slightly cold.
cold water · cold weather · cold air · cold wind
cold + noun
be cold
feeling uncomfortable because your body has a low temperature
I feel cold after swimming.
Are you cold in that thin shirt?
For a person’s feeling, use be or feel with cold, not have.
feel cold
be cold after + activity
an illness that usually causes a runny nose, cough, and sore throat
I have a cold, so I’m staying home.
Wash your hands so you don’t catch a cold.
For the illness, cold usually needs a before it in English.
common cold · cold symptoms · cold medicine · cold season
have a cold
catch a cold
a low temperature, or a period when temperatures are very low
Don’t stand outside in the cold.
The cold of winter can be dangerous for older people.
bitter cold · winter cold
in the cold
the cold of + season or place
to deliberately ignore someone or be unfriendly to them
After the argument, Maya gave me the cold shoulder.
a short period of unusually low temperatures
Temperatures fell during a sudden cold snap.
a call made to someone without previous contact, usually to sell something
The salesperson made a cold call to our office.