cold turkey

noun, Informal.
1.
abrupt and complete withdrawal from the use of an addictive substance, as a narcotic drug, alcohol, or tobacco.
Idioms
2.
go cold turkey,
  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.
Origin
1915-20, Americanism; probably from the phrase to talk cold turkey to speak bluntly about something unpleasant, variant of to talk turkey; see turkey

cold-turkey

[kohld-tur-kee] /ˈkoʊldˈtɜr ki/
verb (used with object)
1.
to withdraw from (an addictive substance or a habit) abruptly and completely.
verb (used without object)
2.
to withdraw from an addictive substance or a habit abruptly and completely.
adjective
3.
abrupt and complete:
cold-turkey withdrawal from drugs.
British Dictionary definitions for cold turkey

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 Origin and History for cold turkey

"without preparation," 1910; narrower sense of "withdrawal from an addictive substance" (originally heroin) first recorded 1921. Cold turkey is a food that requires little preparation, so "to quit like cold turkey" is to do so suddenly and without preparation. Cf. cold shoulder.

cold turkey in Culture

cold turkey definition


To “go cold turkey” is to withdraw suddenly and completely from an addictive substance or some other form of dependency: “Many people who attempt to quit smoking do so by going cold turkey rather than by gradually cutting down.”

Slang definitions & phrases for cold turkey

cold turkey

adjective

Requiring abrupt and complete deprivation: They tried the cold-turkey cure (1921+)

adverb phrase
  1. Without warning, rehearsal, overture, etc; cold: simply walk in cold turkey and talk things over (1940s+)
  2. : He kicked his habit cold turkey
modifier

Basic; unadorned; hard-core: Stalin didn't like certain cold-turkey facts Kennan reported (1920s+)

noun phrase
  1. The plain truth; the STRAIGHT SKINNY (1928+)
  2. Total and abrupt deprivation of narcotics, as distinct from gradual withdrawal (1921+)
verb phrase
  1. : I'll cold-turkey right now: the butler did it (1920s+)
  2. To stop auction bidding and sell at a previously set price (1940s+ Auctioneers)
Related Terms

talk turkey


Idioms and Phrases with cold turkey

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 ]