cold pig

A cold pig is a traditional method to wake someone up.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A method of waking someone: "cold pig" refers to the act of throwing cold water on a sleeping person to wake them up, especially as a prank or practical joke.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The boys gave him a cold pig to get him out of bed for the early morning hike. (They threw cold water on him to wake him.)
  • She was annoyed by the cold pig her roommates used to rouse her from a deep sleep. (She was irritated by the water thrown on her.)

Advanced Usage

• "to give someone a cold pig": to wake someone by throwing cold water on them.
  • As a tradition, the campers gave the new recruit a cold pig on his first morning. (They woke him by splashing cold water.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cold (adj): having a low temperature; lacking warmth.
  • The water was very cold when they used it for the prank. (The water was not warm.)
• Pig (n): a domesticated animal; also used informally for a person (e.g., "lazy pig").
  • He called his friend a lazy pig for sleeping so late. (A derogatory term for a person.)

Synonyms

• Water wake-up: a waking method using cold water.
• Cold splash: the act of throwing cold water on someone.

Related Idioms

• Cold water treatment: a harsh or sudden method of dealing with a situation, often used metaphorically.
  • His proposal got the cold water treatment from the board. (It was rejected abruptly.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Throw cold water on: to discourage or dampen enthusiasm.
  • The manager threw cold water on the team's ambitious plans. (He discouraged them.)

Notes

• This term is informal and somewhat archaic, primarily used in historical or humorous contexts. It is not common in modern everyday speech.