Let’s explore the saying ‘quit cold turkey’ together, understanding its meaning, origins, and real-life examples.
Meaning of the Idiom
The idiom ‘quit cold turkey’ refers to stopping a particular behavior or habit abruptly and completely, without any gradual reduction or tapering off. It’s often used in the context of quitting addictive substances like smoking, drinking, or drugs, but it can apply to any behavior or habit that one decides to stop suddenly and decisively.
Origin of the Idiom
The origin of the phrase ‘quit cold turkey’ is uncertain, but it likely stems from the idea of the sudden and drastic nature of the method. Cold turkey refers to the uncooked meat, suggesting a harsh and unpleasant experience. The phrase may have originated in the context of addiction treatment, where patients would abruptly stop using drugs or alcohol, leading to severe withdrawal symptoms akin to the discomfort of quitting cold turkey.
10 Idiom Examples in Everyday Situations
1. “After years of smoking, he decided to ‘quit cold turkey’ and threw away his cigarettes.”
2. “She knew she had to ‘quit cold turkey’ and stop procrastinating if she wanted to succeed.”
3. “He struggled with alcohol addiction but managed to ‘quit cold turkey’ and hasn’t touched a drop since.”
4. “She was tired of feeling sluggish, so she decided to ‘quit cold turkey’ and cut out sugary snacks from her diet.”
5. “He had been playing video games excessively but decided to ‘quit cold turkey’ and focus on more productive activities.”
6. “She realized she was spending too much time on social media and decided to ‘quit cold turkey’ by deleting all her accounts.”
7. “He had a gambling problem but managed to ‘quit cold turkey’ after hitting rock bottom.”
8. “She had been relying on sleeping pills to fall asleep but decided to ‘quit cold turkey’ and develop healthier sleep habits.”
9. “He knew he needed to break his addiction to caffeine, so he chose to ‘quit cold turkey’ and switch to herbal tea.”
10. “She had been gossiping habitually but realized it was harmful and decided to ‘quit cold turkey’ by refraining from participating in gossip.”
5 Quotes Featuring the Idiom
1. “Sometimes the best way to break a bad habit is to ‘quit cold turkey’ and make a clean break.” – Unknown
2. “It takes courage and determination to ‘quit cold turkey’ and confront addictive behaviors head-on.” – Unknown
3. “Quitting cold turkey requires strong willpower and a firm commitment to change.” – Unknown
4. “Deciding to ‘quit cold turkey’ is often the first step towards a healthier and happier life.” – Unknown
5. “Quitting cold turkey may be tough initially, but it’s worth it in the long run for a better quality of life.” – Unknown
Idioms Starting From Letter Q
Each and every letter of the English alphabet has hundreds of idioms. As in this post, we are talking about the idiom beginning with the letter Q. There are many other idioms that also start with the ‘Q’, which can be useful to you. We have gathered all the Q-starting idiomatic expressions on a single page to make it easy for you to find the best and most useful idioms starting with the letter Q.
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