cold turkey

cold turkey

The abrupt cessation of something (most often the use of a drug). After smoking for so long, I should have never tried to quit cold turkey—the withdrawal symptoms are unbearable. I'm so impressed that you stopped gambling cold turkey!
See also: cold, turkey
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

cold turkey

Sl. immediately; without tapering off or cutting down gradually. (Originally drug slang. Now used of breaking any habit.) Tom stopped smoking cold turkey. She gave up her drinking habit cold turkey and had no ill effects.
See also: cold, turkey
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

cold turkey

Immediate, complete withdrawal from something, especially an addictive substance; also, without planning or preparation. For example, My bad shoulder forced me to quit playing tennis cold turkey, or I'd never done any rock climbing, but decided to try it cold turkey. This term may have come from the earlier expression talk turkey (for blunt speaking). At first used strictly for abrupt withdrawal from drugs or alcohol, it soon was transferred to quitting any habit or activity. [Early 1900s]
See also: cold, turkey
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

cold ˈturkey

the unpleasant state that drug addicts experience when they suddenly stop taking a drug, or a way of treating addicts that makes them experience this state: The worst time was when he was going cold turkey. I quit smoking cold turkey (= I stopped suddenly and completely).
See also: cold, turkey
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

cold turkey

mod. [stopping something] suddenly, without tapering off. (Said especially of stopping an addictive drug intake. Originally drugs.) Martha stopped cold turkey and survived.
See also: cold, turkey
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

cold turkey

Abrupt withdrawal from any habitual activity. This term, which came into use in the early twentieth century primarily for withdrawal from some addictive substance (drug or alcohol), soon was transferred to quitting other habits and activities. Its ultimate origin is unclear. It may have come from to talk turkey, which was sometimes put as “to talk cold turkey,” both meaning to speak in an unvarnished way about an unpleasant matter.
See also: cold, turkey
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • quit (something) cold turkey
  • want (something) so bad (that) (one) can taste it
  • need (something) so bad (that) (one) can taste it
  • backslider
  • from hell
  • (someone or something) from hell
  • someone or something from hell
  • skating
  • ice-skating
  • smoking hot
References in periodicals archive
Although ex-smokers often say they quit cold turkey, they would have usually thought about quitting several times before they actually did it.
New Jersey Gov Chris Christie Raises Minimum Smoking Age
The research was commissioned by pharmaceutical company Pfizer Ltd to support its Don't Go Cold Turkey awareness campaign, aimed at highlighting the help available to smokers wanting to quit.
Smokers run out of cluck
Running from 10am-5pm, the event at the Strand Shopping Centre will feature an appearance from campaign mascot, Giblet the cold turkey, and an igloo centre fitted with ice cube seats which will be used for on-the-spot consultations with stop smoking advisors.
Help on hand to kick the habit; BOOTLE: Stop smoking event
As part of their campaign, Pfizer are hosting a Don't Go Cold Turkey roadshow which arrives at the Metrocentre in Gateshead today, where smoking cessation advisers will be on hand to offer advice to smokers who are motivated to quit.
Scheme to get smokers to stamp out their habit
After 25 years the Lib Dem leader - who came under fire from antismokers for choosing cigs as his luxury item on Desert Island Discs last year - has now gone cold turkey.
I've given up the cigs says Clegg
My GP has advised me to go cold turkey, but Alcoholics Anonymous have told me to reduce my intake gradually.
HOW CAN I QUIT BOOZE SAFELY? HD
The judge told teenager Shane Preston that he could go cold turkey and come out clean on his release.
Thumbs up from mum; Addict son locked up
So that is me sorted on a Saturday night until January when I will be forced into cold turkey for another nine months.
Bring on the Botox spotting
Thousands of pounds is being paid out in compensation to drug addict prisoners being forced to go cold turkey in Welsh jails, a Wales on Sunday investigation has revealed.
JUNKIE JAILBIRDS IN 'COLD TURKEY' CASH BONANZA
It also wants cannabis upgraded to a class B drug and heroin users encouraged to go 'cold turkey' rather than be treated with substitutes.
Tories set to tax drinkers
The case - alleging the "cold turkey" withdrawal they were forced to undergo amounted to assault -was scheduled to start at the High Court today.
Payouts will set a disastrous precedent
A year-long study of pack-a-day smokers who wanted to stop has found that those who got an antidepressant drug had more success than those who went "cold turkey."
Antidepressants help smokers to quit
SMOKERS who quit the habit by going cold turkey are 25% more likely to succeed than those who cut down first, research shows.
25% easier to quit ciggies cold turkey than in stages
The data, collated from 6,300 current and former smokers by Pfizer as part of its Don't Go Cold Turkey campaign, shows that 31% of smokers admitted being saboteurs.
'Guilty' smokers block others' attempt to quit
Now pharmaceuticals company Pfizer is running the Don't Go Cold Turkey campaign to help folk quit.
Helping you quit smoking