cold-eyed
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective: 1. Showing no emotion; dispassionate; impartial: Describes someone who observes or judges situations without being influenced by personal feelings, bias, or emotional involvement. It implies a calm, detached, and objective perspective. 2. Unemotional and calculating: Suggests a person who is emotionally detached, often in a way that seems shrewd, unsentimental, or focused purely on facts and logic.
Usage and Examples
- A cold-eyed assessment of the company's finances revealed it was on the verge of bankruptcy.
- The detective gave the suspect a cold-eyed stare, making it clear he wouldn't be swayed by excuses.
- To succeed in negotiations, you sometimes need to take a cold-eyed view of the deal, setting personal relationships aside.
- Her cold-eyed analysis of the political situation was respected for its accuracy, even if it seemed harsh.
Advanced Usage and Nuances
- The term often carries a slightly negative connotation, implying a lack of warmth, sympathy, or human compassion. It can describe someone who is ruthlessly pragmatic.
- It is frequently used in contexts requiring critical judgment, such as journalism, business, analysis, or law enforcement, where objectivity is valued.
- "To look at something with a cold eye" is a related phrase meaning to examine something critically and without sentiment.
- We need to look at this proposal with a cold eye before investing.
Variants and Related Words
- Coldly (adverb): In a cold-eyed manner.
- He coldly stated the terms of the contract.
- Coldness (noun): The quality of being cold-eyed or unemotional.
Synonyms
- Dispassionate
- Impartial
- Unemotional
- Detached
- Objective
- Unsentimental
- Calculating
Antonyms
- Emotional
- Passionate
- Biased
- Subjective
- Sentimental
- Compassionate
Idioms and Phrases
- A cold-eyed view/assessment: An evaluation made without emotional influence.
- The report offers a cold-eyed view of the challenges ahead.
Adjective
- unaffected by strong emotion or prejudice
- a journalist should be a dispassionate reporter of fact