Heading
3. (familiar).—An unpleasant return or snub for a proffered kindness.
Cold Comfort, subs. phr. (trade).—An
expression used of articles
sent out on approval and returned.
[Merely an extension of the literal
meaning i.e., what is barren of
consolation: a usage dating from
the sixteenth century.
Cold Cook, subs. (popular).—An
undertaker. [Literally one who
has to deal with cold meat, i.e.,
the lifeless human body.] Cf.,
Cold meat and its derivatives.
English Synonyms. Carrion hunter; body snatcher; death hunter; black worker (see Black work).
French Synonyms. Un emballeur de refroidis (thieves': an undertaker's man; literally 'a packer of cold meat').
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1864. Hotten, Slang Dict., s.v.
Cold Cookshop, subs. phr.
(popular).—An undertaker's
premises.—See Cold cook.
Cold Cream.—See Cream of the
valley.
Cold Deck, subs. (American
hieves').—A prepared pack of
cards. Cf., Concaves and convexes
and Stock broads. More
politely a good hand obtained on
first dealing and without drawing
fresh cards.
1880. S. L. Clemens ('Mark Twain'). Screamers. I never have gambled from that day to this—never once—without a cold deck in my pocket. I cannot even tell who is going to lose in games that are being played unless I deal myself.
Cold Gruel.—See Cold coffee,
sense 2.
Cold Meat, subs. (common).—A
corpse. [The human carcass is
compared to butchers' wares.]
For synonyms, see Dead Meat.
Among medical students the term
COLD MEAT or PICKLES (q.v.) =
specimens direct from the subject.
1819. Thos. Moore, Tom Crib's Mem. to Con., p. 25. In the Twelfth and Last Round Sandy fetched him a downer, That left him all's one as cold meat for the Crowner.
To make cold meat of one, verbal phr. (common).—To kill. For synonyms, see Cook one's goose.
1836. C. Dickens, Pickwick Papers, p. 148 (ed. 1857). 'You mustn't handle your piece in that 'ere way, when you come to have the charge in it, sir,' said the tall gamekeeper, gruffly, 'or I'm damned if you won't make cold meat of some of us!'
Cold-Meat Box, subs. phr. (common).—A
coffin. [From cold-meat,
a corpse, + box, a receptacle.]
For synonyms, see Eternity
box.
1889. Sporting Times, 3 Aug., p. 1, col. 3. 'Well, s'pose I perched first?' 'Well, replied Pitcher, I should just come in where you were lying in the cold-meat box, and I should whisper in your ear,' etc.
Cold-Meat Cart, subs. phr. (common).—A
hearse. [From cold-meat,
a corpse, + cart.] Fr.,
mannequin à refroidis. Cf.,
Cold-meat train.
1820. Reynolds ('Peter Corcoran'). The Fancy, p. 46. He's gone—how very muddy some folks die!—He's for the cold-meat cart, and so am I.
Cold-Meat Train, subs. phr.
(popular).—Generally, the funeral
trains to Brookwood, Kensal
Green, and other cemeteries.
