cold turkey

¹

[ kohld tur-kee ]

noun

, Informal.

1. abrupt and complete withdrawal from the use of an addictive substance, as a narcotic drug, alcohol, or tobacco.

cold-turkey

²

[ kohld-tur-kee ]

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw from (an addictive substance or a habit) abruptly and completely.

verb (used without object)

1. to withdraw from an addictive substance or a habit abruptly and completely.

adjective

1. abrupt and complete:

   cold-turkey withdrawal from drugs.

cold turkey

noun

1. slang.
   a method of curing drug addiction by abrupt withdrawal of all doses
2. the withdrawal symptoms, esp nausea and shivering, brought on by this method

Word History and Origins

Origin of cold turkey¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; probably from the phrase to talk cold turkey “to speak bluntly about something unpleasant,” variant of to talk turkey; turkey

Origin of cold turkey²

First recorded in 1910–15

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go cold turkey, Informal.
   1. to stop using an addictive substance abruptly and completely.
   2. to undergo sudden and complete withdrawal from a habitual activity or behavior pattern.
   3. to begin or do something without planning, preparation, or practice.

More idioms and phrases containing cold turkey

Immediate, complete withdrawal from something, especially an addictive substance; also, without planning or preparation. For example, My bad shoulder forced me to quit playing tennis cold turkey , or I'd never done any rock climbing, but decided to try it cold turkey . This term may have come from the earlier expression talk turkey (for blunt speaking). At first used strictly for abrupt withdrawal from drugs or alcohol, it soon was transferred to quitting any habit or activity. [Early 1900s]

Example Sentences

She quit the protests cold turkey in October, found a spiritual adviser, started to channel her desire to burn the system down into building up her community.

From Washington Post

While most moderate drinkers can handle withdrawal symptoms on their own, if you are truly alcohol-dependent, quitting cold turkey may not actually be safe.

From Outside Online

Going "cold turkey" off of heroin, while difficult, is not impossible—and very rarely fatal.

From The Daily Beast

When pushed, users and addicts (including myself), have proven willing to drop the BlackBerry cold turkey.

From The Daily Beast

His jumpiness, he said, was caused by quitting smoking cold turkey.

From The Daily Beast

Quitting cold turkey "had serious physical and psychological effects" that were "extremely negative and lasted a long time."

From The Daily Beast

After two weeks of cold turkey, I sensed he was faltering and bought him some Nicotine gum.

From The Daily Beast

Tootles, said Flick severely, put the cold soup, the cold turkey and the cold pig upon the table.

From Project Gutenberg

The alehouse was kept by that cousin of Felix's who was so fond of 'delicate cold turkey,' and who had such choice cherry-brandy.

From Project Gutenberg

In a few minutes, a small table, furnished with a cold turkey and a decanter of wine, was laid for her in the bower.

From Project Gutenberg

Cut the cold turkey meat into dice and mix it with twice the quantity of diced celery and one cupful of broken walnut meats.

From Project Gutenberg

Take a cold roast-beef bone, pieces of beefsteak, the rack of a cold turkey or chicken.

From Project Gutenberg