The difference between Cold and Warm

When used as nouns, cold means a condition of low temperature, whereas warm means the act of warming, or the state of being warmed.

When used as adjectives, cold means having a low temperature, whereas warm means having a temperature slightly higher than usual, but still pleasant.


Cold is also adverb with the meaning: while at low temperature.

Warm is also verb with the meaning: to make or keep warm.

check bellow for the other definitions of Cold and Warm

  1. Cold as an adjective (of a thing):

    Having a low temperature.

    Examples:

    "A cold wind whistled through the trees."

  2. Cold as an adjective (of the weather):

    Causing the air to be cold.

    Examples:

    "The forecast is that it will be very cold today."

  3. Cold as an adjective (of a person or animal):

    Feeling the sensation of coldness, especially to the point of discomfort.

    Examples:

    "She was so cold she was shivering."

  4. Cold as an adjective:

    Unfriendly, emotionally distant or unfeeling.

    Examples:

    "She shot me a cold glance before turning her back."

  5. Cold as an adjective:

    Dispassionate, not prejudiced or partisan, impartial.

    Examples:

    "Let's look at this tomorrow with a cold head."

    "He's a nice guy, but the cold facts say we should fire him."

    "The cold truth is that states rarely undertake military action unless their national interests are at stake."

  6. Cold as an adjective:

    Completely unprepared; without introduction.

    Examples:

    "He was assigned cold calls for the first three months."

  7. Cold as an adjective:

    Unconscious or deeply asleep; deprived of the metaphorical heat associated with life or consciousness.

    Examples:

    "I knocked him out cold."

    "After one more beer he passed out cold."

  8. Cold as an adjective (usually with "have" or "know" transitively):

    Perfectly, exactly, completely; by heart.

    Examples:

    "Practice your music scales until you know them cold."

    "Try both these maneuvers until you have them cold and can do them in the dark without thinking."

    "Rehearse your lines until you have them down cold."

    "Keep that list in front of you, or memorize it cold."

  9. Cold as an adjective (usually with "have" transitively):

    Cornered, done for.

    Examples:

    "With that receipt, we have them cold for fraud."

    "Criminal interrogation. Initially they will dream up explanations faster than you could ever do so, but when they become fatigued, often they will acknowledge that you have them cold."

  10. Cold as an adjective (obsolete):

    Not pungent or acrid.

  11. Cold as an adjective (obsolete):

    Unexciting; dull; uninteresting.

  12. Cold as an adjective:

    Affecting the sense of smell (as of hunting dogs) only feebly; having lost its odour.

    Examples:

    "a cold scent"

  13. Cold as an adjective (obsolete):

    Not sensitive; not acute.

  14. Cold as an adjective:

    Distant; said, in the game of hunting for some object, of a seeker remote from the thing concealed. Compare warm and hot.

    Examples:

    "You're cold … getting warmer … hot! You've found it!"

  15. Cold as an adjective (painting):

    Having a bluish effect; not warm in colour.

  16. Cold as an adjective (databases):

    Rarely used or accessed, and thus able to be relegated to slower storage.

  17. Cold as an adjective (informal):

    Without compassion; heartless; ruthless

    Examples:

    "I can't believe she said that...that was cold!"

  1. Cold as a noun:

    A condition of low temperature.

    Examples:

    "Come in, out of the cold."

  2. Cold as a noun (medicine):

    A common, usually harmless, viral illness, usually with congestion of the nasal passages and sometimes fever.

    Examples:

    "I caught a miserable cold and had to stay home for a week."

  1. Cold as an adverb:

    While at low temperature.

    Examples:

    "The steel was processed cold."

  2. Cold as an adverb:

    Without preparation.

    Examples:

    "The speaker went in cold and floundered for a topic."

  3. Cold as an adverb:

    With finality.

    Examples:

    "I knocked him out cold."

  4. Cold as an adverb (slang, informal, dated):

    In a cold, frank, or realistically honest manner.

  1. Warm as an adjective:

    Having a temperature slightly higher than usual, but still pleasant; mildly hot.

    Examples:

    "The tea is still warm."

    "This is a very warm room."

  2. Warm as an adjective:

    Caring and friendly, of relations to another person.

    Examples:

    "We have a warm friendship''."

  3. Warm as an adjective:

    Having a color in the red-orange-yellow part of the visible electromagnetic spectrum.

  4. Warm as an adjective:

    Close, often used in the context of a game in which "warm" and "cold" are used to indicate nearness to the goal.

  5. Warm as an adjective:

    Fresh, of a scent; still able to be traced.

  6. Warm as an adjective (figurative):

    Communicating a sense of comfort, ease, or pleasantness

    Examples:

    "a warm piano sound"

  7. Warm as an adjective (archaic):

    Ardent, zealous.

    Examples:

    "a warm debate, with strong words exchanged"

  8. Warm as an adjective (archaic, colloquial):

    Well off as to property, or in good circumstances; rich.

  9. Warm as an adjective (archaic):

    Requiring arduous effort.

  1. Warm as a verb (transitive):

    To make or keep warm.

  2. Warm as a verb (intransitive):

    To become warm, to heat up.

    Examples:

    "My socks are warming by the fire."

    "The earth soon warms on a clear summer day."

  3. Warm as a verb (intransitive):

    To favour increasingly.

    Examples:

    "He is warming to the idea."

    "Her classmates are gradually warming to her."

  4. Warm as a verb (intransitive):

    To become ardent or animated.

    Examples:

    "The speaker warms as he proceeds."

  5. Warm as a verb (transitive):

    To make engaged or earnest; to interest; to engage; to excite ardor or zeal in; to enliven.

  1. Warm as a noun (colloquial):

    The act of warming, or the state of being warmed; a heating.

    Examples:

    "rfquotek Charles Dickens"

    "Shall I give your coffee a warm in the microwave?"