cold snap
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: A brief period of unusually cold weather. It describes a sudden, sharp drop in temperature that lasts for a short duration, typically a few days.
Usage
The term "cold snap" is used to describe a specific meteorological event. It emphasizes the abrupt onset and temporary nature of the cold conditions. It is a countable noun.
Examples
- The warm spring was interrupted by a sudden cold snap that damaged the early blossoms.
- We need to protect the pipes from freezing during the cold snap forecast for this weekend.
- After a week-long cold snap, temperatures returned to their seasonal average.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase often implies an unexpected or unseasonal period of cold. For example, a "late spring cold snap" would be notable because it occurs outside the typical cold season.
- It can be used figuratively to describe a sudden, brief period of unfriendliness or tension in a relationship or situation, though this is less common than the literal weather-related meaning.
- Example (figurative): There was a cold snap in their negotiations, but they eventually reached an agreement.
Variants and Related Words
- Cold spell: A very similar term, often used interchangeably with "cold snap," though some may perceive a "spell" as potentially lasting slightly longer.
- Heat wave: The opposite phenomenon; a period of excessively hot weather.
- Snap: As a noun, can refer to a sudden, sharp change or break (e.g., "a cold snap," "a snap decision").
Synonyms
- Cold spell
- Cold wave
- Freeze (when temperatures drop below freezing)
Antonyms
- Heat wave
- Thaw (a period of warming weather that melts ice and snow)
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Snap is integral to the phrase. Related idioms using "snap" often convey suddenness or brevity, such as "in a snap" (very quickly) or "snap out of it" (to quickly stop being in an undesirable mood).
Noun
- a spell of cold weather