C1idiominformalhealthIELTS-friendly
go cold turkey
USUK
to stop a habit or addiction suddenly and completely, not little by little
'Kick the habit' just means stop; 'go cold turkey' says how: all at once. Also used as a noun phrase: 'quit cold turkey'.
In context
Dad smoked for twenty years, then went cold turkey the day my sister was born.
I tried to go cold turkey on coffee, but the headaches were terrible.
More idioms about health
- a clean bill of healtha doctor's statement, after an examination, that someone is healthy
- a new lease of lifenew energy, or a chance to be active or useful again
- a ripe old agea very old age, reached in good health
- a second windnew energy that lets you continue after you felt too tired
- a shadow of your former selfmuch weaker, thinner or less impressive than before