English · Idiom Historical

cold without

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

An elliptical expression, meaning spirits mixed with cold water without sugar.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “cold without” mean?

An elliptical expression, meaning spirits mixed with cold water without sugar.

Is “cold without” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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