come in from the cold

Idioms  

1. Also, come in out of the cold. Return to shelter and safety, be welcomed into a group. For example, Bill was fed up with traveling on his own for the company and hoped they'd let him come in from the cold, or After years of not being invited to join, Steve was finally asked to come in out of the cold. This phrase, generally used figuratively, gained currency in the 1960s with John LeCarré's best-selling spy novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, about a long-time British spy in the cold war who longed to abandon the dirty tricks of his profession. Also see come in out of the rain.

---

Example Sentences

But it may provide cover to prominent donors like Ken Griffin who in recent weeks has suggested that he might come in from the cold and donate to Trump.

From New York Times

Mitchell’s sassy vocals matched the hard-kicking tempo on one of the night’s reveling rockers, before cooling off with “Come in From the Cold” and the hazy soft rocker “Amelia.”

From Seattle Times

Mitchell performed a slow and sultry take on 1991’s “Come in From the Cold” that reminded you how much she did to vibe-ify singer-songwriter music — to create an atmosphere to flesh out the words and melodies of a song.

From Los Angeles Times

Mitchell took the stage alongside Brandi Carlile and friends in her first full-length performance since 2002, performing “Big Yellow Taxi,” “Shine,” “Help Me” and “Come In From the Cold.”

From Seattle Times

Young pretender Noah Lolesio was ruled out with concussion, leaving Bernard Foley to come in from the cold after three years out and finish as the Wallabies first-choice playmaker.

From BBC