give the cold shoulder
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
To deliberately ignore someone in an unfriendly way.
Register: neutral
Sources & notes
Curated everyday-idiom list, site editorial 2026-07-30.
Common questions
What does “give the cold shoulder” mean?
To deliberately ignore someone in an unfriendly way.
Is “give the cold shoulder” formal or informal?
give the cold shoulder is generally neutral.