colden: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely rare / ArchaicLiterary / Poetic / Archaic
Quick answer
What does “colden” mean?
To become or make cold.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To become or make cold.
A rare and chiefly poetic/archaic verb meaning to grow cold, to lose warmth, or to cause something to become cold; can also be used metaphorically for emotions or relationships cooling.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in modern usage due to its extreme rarity. Historically, it may have appeared slightly more in 19th-century British literary texts.
Connotations
In both varieties, it carries connotations of antiquity, poetic diction, or deliberate stylistic archaism.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in contemporary corpora for both BrE and AmE.
Grammar
How to Use “colden” in a Sentence
[NP] coldened (intransitive)[NP1] coldened [NP2] (transitive)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “colden” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- As evening fell, the stone walls of the castle began to colden.
- The bitter wind coldened their spirits as they waited.
American English
- She felt his affection colden after the argument.
- The pioneer watched the fire colden to ash during the night.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Never used.
Academic
Only in historical linguistics or analyses of archaic poetic texts.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “colden”
- Using it in modern prose or conversation.
- Incorrectly conjugating it as a regular -ed verb (it is rare, but typically 'coldened').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is archaic and extremely rare. It is documented in historical dictionaries and some literary works from the 18th and 19th centuries.
No, it would sound very strange and old-fashioned. Use 'get cold', 'cool down', or 'chill' instead.
The recorded past tense is typically 'coldened', following the regular -ed pattern for verbs.
Comprehensive dictionaries record historical and obsolete words to aid in understanding older literature and tracking language evolution. It is not included for active production.
To become or make cold.
Colden is usually literary / poetic / archaic in register.
Colden: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkəʊld(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkoʊld(ə)n/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No established idioms for this archaic word]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'GOLDEN' ages end and grow COLD → things COLDEN over time.
Conceptual Metaphor
AFFECTION IS WARMTH / LACK OF AFFECTION IS COLD (e.g., 'His heart coldened towards her').
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the verb 'colden' be MOST appropriate?