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Cold turkey

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Cold turkey: stopping an addictive habit abruptly and completely, without gradual reduction; the unappetising image of cold, bare cooked flesh suggests stark, unmediated withdrawal.

Detailed Definition
Cold turkey, an idiomatic phrase describing sudden and complete cessation of a habit, usually addiction, without gradual reduction, powerfully portrays in poetry the raw struggles of withdrawal, personal resolve, physical and mental torment, and the quest for self-mastery amid vulnerability. Poets employ it in confessional or recovery narratives to explore themes of dependency, transformation through hardship, societal pressures on behavior, and the stark honesty of breaking free, offering empathetic insights into human frailty and strength while highlighting both the pain and liberation inherent in abrupt life-altering decisions.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sudden change: "She quit smoking cold turkey and never looked back at old habits."; Recovery verse: "Breaking free cold turkey demanded courage few truly understand."; Educational: "Portrays personal transformation in addiction narratives."; "He ended the toxic cycle cold turkey."
Additional Notes
Sudden cessation, portrays transformation in addiction recovery narratives. Tip: Show courage in habit-breaking verses.
Also Known As
Going cold turkey Quitting cold turkey Cold stop
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