cold turkey

¹

[ kohld tur-kee ]

noun

, Informal.

1. abrupt and complete withdrawal from the use of an addictive substance, as a narcotic drug, alcohol, or tobacco.

cold-turkey

²

[ kohld-tur-kee ]

verb (used with object)

1. to withdraw from (an addictive substance or a habit) abruptly and completely.

verb (used without object)

1. to withdraw from an addictive substance or a habit abruptly and completely.

adjective

1. abrupt and complete:

   cold-turkey withdrawal from drugs.

cold turkey

noun

1. slang.
   a method of curing drug addiction by abrupt withdrawal of all doses
2. the withdrawal symptoms, esp nausea and shivering, brought on by this method

Word History and Origins

Origin of cold turkey¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; probably from the phrase to talk cold turkey “to speak bluntly about something unpleasant,” variant of to talk turkey; turkey

Origin of cold turkey²

First recorded in 1910–15

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. go cold turkey, Informal.
   1. to stop using an addictive substance abruptly and completely.
   2. to undergo sudden and complete withdrawal from a habitual activity or behavior pattern.
   3. to begin or do something without planning, preparation, or practice.

More idioms and phrases containing cold turkey

Immediate, complete withdrawal from something, especially an addictive substance; also, without planning or preparation. For example, My bad shoulder forced me to quit playing tennis cold turkey , or I'd never done any rock climbing, but decided to try it cold turkey . This term may have come from the earlier expression talk turkey (for blunt speaking). At first used strictly for abrupt withdrawal from drugs or alcohol, it soon was transferred to quitting any habit or activity. [Early 1900s]

Example Sentences

She started smoking again, nearly a decade after quitting cold turkey.

From Los Angeles Times

"We went cold turkey really, but we managed it. We've just got used to living without Russian pipeline gas," explains Dr Jack Sharples, senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

From BBC

If you’re trying to scale back on social media, maybe limit yourself to 15 minutes a day, instead of going cold turkey.

From Seattle Times

And if Jackie is getting up at 4:30 to test-roast three turkeys, I’m texting her turkey and bulging-bicep emojis and joyously eating cold turkey under conference room lighting at noon.

From Seattle Times

In rare cases, it can resemble substance use disorders such as drug dependence or pathological gambling, complete with withdrawal-like symptoms such as cravings, loneliness, and dark moods when users go cold turkey.

From Science Magazine