to go cold turkey - idiom meaning?

Question

What is the meaning of "to go cold turkey" idiom?

Answer 1

 

Idiom Conjugations:

 

Answer 2

Gerund Form of the Idiom:

Going cold turkey is not the easiest method of quitting something harmful.
 

Answer 3

Idiom Usage:

This idiom originated in regards to quitting the use of drugs, especially hard drugs like heroine or cocaine.
Now, it is very common to use it in any situation where a person wants to quit something or someone immediately and completely.   Sometimes, there is a certain humorous quality when using this idiom in certain non-serious situations as in Idiom Scenario 2.
This idiom is used where the process of quitting is very difficult and results in severe side effects or symptoms of withdrawal.
(To go cold turkey) and (to quit cold turkey) have the same meaning.  They can be used interchangeably.
To quit something or someone does not imply success in the quitting.  A person can relapse and continue the activity and then the person needs to go cold turkey again (or try a different method to quit).
 

Answer 4

Idiom Scenario 2:

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Barbara has a boyfriend named Steve.  Barbara is having a lot of trouble with Steve.  They are fighting and not getting along very well.  Barbara has ended the relationship many times but each time she goes back to Steve because she is lonely.  Sometimes Steve changes his behavior temporarily and then Barbara takes him back.  This on again - off again relationship has been going on for quite some time.  Barbara is tired of the dead-end relationship and she knows that there is no future for her and Steve.

"Barbara needs to finish the relationship cold turkey."

Barbara should quit Steve cold turkey and never see him again.

Answer 5

Idiom Scenario 1:

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James has been addicted to cigarettes for many years.  He has tried to quit smoking many times in the past.  When he tried to quit smoking, James would slowly reduce the number of cigarettes he smoked in a day.  He hoped that he could gradually reduce his smoking to nothing and be finished with smoking.  Every time he tried this method it did not work.  Someone suggested to James that he should just quit completely, all at once, without slowly cutting down his cigarette smoking.

"James needs to quit cold turkey"

If James goes cold turkey he will quit smoking instantly without ever smoking again.  This method of quitting can often produce negative side-effects that are difficult to endure.

 

Answer 6

Idiom Definition:

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"to go cold turkey"
 

to quit doing something, often some form of drug, immediately and finally
to finish with something or someone without a gradual reduction
 

Synonyms:
abrupt, avoid, ban, cease, crash, cutoff, deny, desist, detox, detoxification, dump, eschew, evade, fast, finish, halt, immediate, quit, refuse, refrain, shun, spurn, stop, sudden, withdraw, withdrawal
 
 
Literally, to go cold turkey. - - - - ->