Why do we say 'going cold turkey'? | | Dive into the idiom's interesting history, from straightforward slang to a gutsy method of quitting habits instantly. | |  | Bennett Kleinman |
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| |  | | I f you're anything like me, "going cold turkey" means walking down the block to the local bodega and grabbing a delicious club sandwich, a bag of salt and vinegar chips, and the fizziest bottle of seltzer available. But the most common use of this idiom has nothing to do with the deli counter. Instead, it implies a complete and abrupt end to a habit, often under great stress.
"Quitting cold turkey" is commonly used to describe a method of abstaining from drugs or alcohol, but it can apply to any habit a person wants to quit: smoking cigarettes, biting fingernails, excessive social media use, you name it. Instead of gradually weaning off the habit, the person undergoes a complete and immediate withdrawal to reset their addiction. In this specific context, the idiom dates to a 1921 article about a Dr. Carleton Simon of Victoria, Canada, implying the method was used in extreme cases. Smith was said to give "the 'cold turkey' treatment" to the "most pitiful figures who have appeared before [him]." |
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Emoji Decoded | |  | | Loudly Crying Face | | | Meaning: Depicts a face with tears streaming down both cheeks, typically used to convey intense sadness, grief, or overwhelming emotion.
Evolution: Over time, 😭 has evolved to be used in a hyperbolic or dramatic sense for less serious situations.
Usage: [Comment on a TikTok about a lost cat reunited with its owner]: this made my day 😭❤️😻 |
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| | Loudly Crying Face | | | Meaning: Depicts a face with tears streaming down both cheeks, typically used to convey intense sadness, grief, or overwhelming emotion.
Evolution: Over time, 😭 has evolved to be used in a hyperbolic or dramatic sense for less serious situations.
Usage: [Comment on a TikTok about a lost cat reunited with its owner]: this made my day 😭❤️😻 |
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Have you read? | |  | | Tom Paine's War | | | | Thomas Paine isn't usually named among the Founding Fathers, but his writing helped fuel the American Revolution. In January 1776, he published the 47-page pamphlet "Common Sense," and its plain language had broad appeal, galvanizing public support for independence. By December 1776, Paine was writing from the battlefields. The nonfiction account "Tom Paine's War" looks at the early days of the American Revolution and highlights his unique role in the movement. | | | | Samantha Abernethy, Word Smarts Writer | | | | We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. |
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| | Tom Paine's War | | | | Thomas Paine isn't usually named among the Founding Fathers, but his writing helped fuel the American Revolution. In January 1776, he published the 47-page pamphlet "Common Sense," and its plain language had broad appeal, galvanizing public support for independence. By December 1776, Paine was writing from the battlefields. The nonfiction account "Tom Paine's War" looks at the early days of the American Revolution and highlights his unique role in the movement. | | | | Samantha Abernethy, Word Smarts Writer | | | | We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. |
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You might also like | |  | | | | Why Do We Say 'Fit as a Fiddle'? | | You won't find a fiddle running on a treadmill or lifting weights at the gym. But these inanimate objects are called "fit" nonetheless, so let's look at why. |
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