Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Immediate, complete withdrawal from something on which one has become dependent, such as an addictive drug.
- adverb Immediately and without gradual reduction of use.
- adverb Frankly or directly; without mincing words.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The sudden and complete
withdrawal of a dependent substance, especially of a drug - noun The physiological effects of such a withdrawal
- adverb idiomatic Not
gradually ; all at once. Refers especially toquitting ahabit by force of will rather than by a gradual reduction.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun complete and abrupt withdrawal of all addictive drugs or anything else on which you have become dependent
- noun a blunt expression of views
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[Probably from the serving of cold roast turkey as a dish needing no preparation .]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From the goose bumps that people get when they're cold turkey.
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Examples
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gangerh commented on the word cold turkey
Hey, z, you nicked this! Put it back!
September 23, 2008