English · Slang Attested

cold pig

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The act of throwing cold water over a sleeping individual to wake them.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Pedestres tossed off the clothes and jumped out of bed as if they had dealt him a "cold pig:" — he bounced between them all to the other side of the room, and hastily thrust himself into that which was offered to him.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To give cold pig is a punishment inflicted on sluggards who lie too long in bed: it consists in pulling off all the bed clothes from them, and throwing cold water upon them.

Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Pigs Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “cold pig” mean?

The act of throwing cold water over a sleeping individual to wake them.

Is “cold pig” formal or informal?

cold pig is generally dated, slang.