cold drink: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
High (A1-A2)Informal, neutral
Quick answer
What does “cold drink” mean?
A beverage that is chilled, typically served at a low temperature for refreshment.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A beverage that is chilled, typically served at a low temperature for refreshment.
Any non-alcoholic beverage consumed cold, often carbonated or iced, or a term used broadly in food service to distinguish from hot beverages like coffee or tea.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'soft drink' or specific names (e.g., 'fizzy drink', 'juice') are more common for categorisation. In the US, 'cold drink' is perfectly natural, but 'soda', 'pop', or 'soft drink' are frequent regional alternatives for carbonated types.
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. In the US South, 'cold drink' can be a generic term for any soft drink. In the UK, it may sound slightly more descriptive than categorical.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in everyday American English than in British English, where it might be replaced by 'a drink' if context is clear (e.g., 'Get a cold drink from the fridge' vs. 'Get a drink from the fridge').
Grammar
How to Use “cold drink” in a Sentence
have/get/buy + a cold drinkserve + someone + a cold drinkprefer + cold drinks + to hot onesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cold drink” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Not applicable as a verb.
American English
- Not applicable as a verb.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
American English
- Not applicable as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable as a standalone adjective; functions as a noun modifier in the phrase.
American English
- Not applicable as a standalone adjective; functions as a noun modifier in the phrase.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In retail or hospitality: 'The cold drink section outperformed hot beverages this quarter.'
Academic
Rare; might appear in public health or nutrition studies: 'Consumption of sugar-sweetened cold drinks was correlated with...'
Everyday
Extremely common: 'It's so hot; I need a cold drink.'
Technical
In food science or vending: 'The cold drink mechanism maintains a temperature of 4°C.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cold drink”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cold drink”
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'I cold drink water' is incorrect).
- Omitting the article (e.g., 'I want cold drink' should be 'I want a cold drink').
- Confusing 'cold drink' with 'cool drink'—'cool' is less specific about temperature.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a two-word noun phrase, not a single compound word. It is often hyphenated when used as a modifier before a noun (e.g., 'cold-drink menu').
Typically, no. In everyday usage, it implies non-alcoholic beverages like juice, soda, or iced tea. For alcohol, specific terms like 'cold beer' or 'chilled wine' are used.
'Soft drink' specifically denotes a non-alcoholic, often carbonated beverage. 'Cold drink' is broader; it can include any beverage served cold (e.g., iced water, cold milk, soft drinks). All soft drinks can be cold drinks, but not all cold drinks are soft drinks.
Use it as a countable noun phrase with an article or determiner (e.g., 'a cold drink', 'some cold drinks', 'that cold drink'). Example: 'She offered me a cold drink.'
A beverage that is chilled, typically served at a low temperature for refreshment.
Cold drink is usually informal, neutral in register.
Cold drink: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkəʊld ˈdrɪŋk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkoʊld ˈdrɪŋk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not strongly idiomatic; used literally]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'COLD' letters as ice cubes floating in a 'DRINK'.
Conceptual Metaphor
REFRESHMENT IS COOLNESS / COMFORT IS A COLD DRINK (e.g., 'a cold drink on a hot day').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most common use of 'cold drink'?