in cold storage

Idioms  

1. In a state of abeyance or postponement. For example, We can't consider these design changes now; let's put them in cold storage for a year or so. This expression alludes to the literal storage of food, furs, or other objects in a refrigerated place. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Some kept them in cold storage, on computers or drives disconnected from the internet.

From Slate • Mar. 28, 2025

The researchers also simulated a potential mitigation, placing honey bee hive boxes in cold storage so the bees start to cluster earlier and save workers.

From Science Daily • Mar. 25, 2024

Admittedly, it’s easier to bloom an Amaryllis, hyacinth or paperwhite Narcissus bulb that has been prepared in cold storage by the supplier.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 20, 2023

But experts say that this is easier said than done because tomatoes are highly perishable and tend to go bad after a few weeks even in cold storage.

From BBC • Jul. 14, 2023

You couldn’t knock down the skyscrapers when the tenants left; so instead boards went over the windows and doors, and the great shells of commerce were put in cold storage.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides