Expressions That ‘Stop You Cold’ - December 11, 2024

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1. 0:08And now, words and their stories from VOA Learning English.
2. 0:19In many parts of the world, temperatures are dropping for the winter season.
3. 0:25But even for those in warm weather, our show on the word cold will help your English.
4. 0:34Cold is not just an adjective describing temperature.
5. 0:38It can also describe stopping something suddenly and surprisingly.
6. 0:47It also means starting or doing something without preparation.
7. 0:53These definitions give us several expressions and idioms.
8. 0:58When someone or some thing stops cold, it stops completely, suddenly,
9. 1:06and perhaps with surprise.
10. 1:10For example, I was surprised when my car stopped cold on a recent trip.
11. 1:16I had just had it fixed.
12. 1:19With this expression, we often say the thing or person being stopped.
13. 1:24stopped. So, in that example, I could say, engine trouble stopped my car cold.
14. 1:33When we stop someone cold, we completely stop them from doing something, suddenly or immediately.
15. 1:42Here's an example.
16. 1:45The sunset was so beautiful.
17. 1:48It stopped me cold.
18. 1:50Sometimes we add in my tracks to this expression,
19. 1:56such as The sunset was so beautiful.
20. 2:02It stopped me cold in my tracks.
21. 2:05Other variations of this expression include to stop someone dead in their tracks and
22. 2:14to stop someone on a dime.
23. 2:18They all mean the same thing.
24. 2:20Something or someone has come to a standstill.
25. 2:25And we can use them the same way.
26. 2:29Now let's talk about how we use cold in the business world.
27. 2:36Sometimes we need to call someone who does not know us,
28. 2:42and we do not know them.
29. 2:45These are cold calls.
30. 2:48A cold call can also be a visit to a person or business,
31. 2:54and usually we want to sell something.
32. 2:57For example, a salesperson may have a cold call list to get new business.
33. 3:07Cold calls, whether on the phone or in person, are unsolicited.
34. 3:14This means that no one asked or requested contact.
35. 3:20In business, and also in life,
36. 3:23if you come to something cold or come into something cold, you are not prepared.
37. 3:32Here is an example.
38. 3:34Last week, I came into the meeting cold.
39. 3:37I hadn't read any of the materials.
40. 3:41However, if you come in from the cold, you are in luck.
41. 3:47It means you rejoin a group or a normal society again after being outside.
42. 3:56We often use this expression to describe someone like a spy who was able to come in from the cold
43. 4:04and enjoy a normal life.
44. 4:08Come in from the cold can also be used when someone or something becomes popular,
45. 4:16accepted, or active again,
46. 4:19after being unpopular, unaccepted, and inactive for a time.
47. 4:26And that's all the time we have for this words and their stories.
48. 4:30Until next time, I'm Anna Matteo.