cold-shoulder
/'kould'ʃouldə/
Definition
- Verb:
- To deliberately ignore someone; to treat someone with intentional indifference or disrespect by refusing to acknowledge them or give them attention.
Usage
- This verb describes a social action where one person snubs or disregards another, often as a form of punishment, rejection, or to show disapproval. It implies a conscious choice to be unfriendly and aloof.
- It is typically used with a direct object (the person being ignored).
- The action is often passive-aggressive, involving a refusal to engage in normal social interaction like speaking or making eye contact.
Examples
- Verb:
- After their argument, she cold-shouldered him for a week.
- He felt hurt when his colleagues cold-shouldered him at the company party.
- The manager was accused of cold-shouldering employees who raised concerns.
Advanced Usage
- "to give someone the cold shoulder": This is the more common idiomatic phrase from which the verb is derived. The verb "to cold-shoulder" is a direct conversion of this idiom.
- Instead of arguing, she just gave him the cold shoulder. (Idiomatic noun phrase)
- Compare: She cold-shouldered him. (Verb form)
Variants and Related Words
- Cold shoulder (n): The act or instance of ignoring someone. Often used in the phrase "to give someone the cold shoulder."
- His cold shoulder was more painful than angry words.
- Snub (v/n): A close synonym meaning to rebuff, ignore, or spurn disdainfully.
- Ignore (v): A more general term for refusing to take notice of or acknowledge.
- Shun (v): To persistently avoid, ignore, or reject.
Synonyms
- Snub
- Ignore
- Slight
- Disregard
- Shun
- Ostracize (implies exclusion by a group)
Related Idioms
- Give someone the cold shoulder: To intentionally ignore someone or treat them in an unfriendly way.
- Ever since the disagreement, the team has been giving her the cold shoulder.
- Turn a cold shoulder to someone/something: A less common variant with the same meaning.
- The government was accused of turning a cold shoulder to the protesters' demands.
Verb
- pay no attention to, disrespect
- She cold-shouldered her ex-fiance
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