If you’ve ever quit a habit or discussed someone else quitting, you’re likely familiar with the phrase cold turkey. Whether your vice is Netflix binges, oreo cramming, or cigarettes, to quit them cold turkey means to swear off them completely, no ifs, ands, or buts. With New Year’s behind us, the phrase may be cropping up more and more. But where does it come from?
Its origins can be traced back to 18th and 19th century America. Historical accounts seem to indicate that the phrase “talking turkey” meant to talk disingenuously, similar to the way “flapping your gums” is used now.
A folkish retelling of the origins of the phrase first appeared in an 1837 article from the Niles’ Weekly Register:
“An Indian and a white man went shooting in partnership and a wild turkey and a crow were all the results of the day’s toil. The white man, in the usual style of making a bargain with the Indian proposed a division of the spoils in this way: ‘Now Wampum, you may have your choice: you take the crow, and I’ll take the turkey; or, if you’d rather, I’ll take the turkey and you take the crow.’ Wampum reflected a moment on the generous alternative thus offered, and replied – ‘Ugh! You no talk turkey to me.’
Based on this and other appearances, “talking turkey” seems to have been a euphemism for deceitful or otherwise superficial, pleasant talk. However, by the end of the 19th century and early 20th century, the phrase inexplicably changed meanings, becoming more synonymous with talking frankly and directly.
To “talk turkey” became associated with getting down to brass tacks, discussing the meat of the matter at hand, and disregarding the sides and stuffing of polite conversation. In the early 20th century, the phrase first appeared in print along with the qualifier “cold” to indicate this kind of straightforward way of communicating.
You’ve likely heard the phrase “quit cold turkey” used to describe abruptly and completely stopping something, especially a habit or addiction. But where did this odd expression come from, and what does cold turkey have to do with quitting anything?
The origins of this idiom are uncertain, but there are some fascinating theories behind it.
What Does “Cold Turkey” Mean?
To “quit cold turkey” means to abruptly stop doing something without any gradual steps or tapering off It’s most commonly used for discontinuing addictive substances like alcohol, tobacco, or drugs, as this sudden cessation often leads to difficult withdrawal symptoms
However, the phrase can be applied to quitting any habit, behavior or activity abruptly. For example, you could say “I quit checking my phone cold turkey” or “she quit her job cold turkey.”
Early Usage Referring to Plain Talk
The first known usage of “cold turkey” was in the early 20th century referring to plain, straightforward talk.
An early example is a 1910 source using the phrase “lose $5,000 cold turkey” to mean losing money outright.
It may have originated from “talk turkey,” an 1800s phrase meaning to talk frankly, then evolved into “talking cold turkey” and finally “cold turkey.”
Application to Drug Withdrawal in the 1920s
By the 1920s, the idiom became associated specifically with abrupt drug or alcohol withdrawal.
Sources describe the “cold turkey treatment” used on addicts, evoking the chills, goosebumps, tremors and other symptoms of stopping substance use suddenly.
Theories on Turkey’s Role in the Phrase
So where does the “turkey” part come in? There are a few theories on how this bird became part of the idiom
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The skin’s goosebumps and cold feel during withdrawal.
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The minimal preparation of cold turkey as a meal
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The similarities between the clammy, pale appearance of withdrawals and a plucked turkey’s skin.
Similar Expressions and Terms
“Cold turkey” isn’t the only poultry-inspired term related to quitting something. The phrase “talk turkey” is an older idiom meaning to speak frankly.
Other common expressions referencing withdrawal symptoms include:
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“Kick the habit” — references the muscle spasms or twitching.
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“Go through withdrawal” — refers to the difficult process of quitting.
The Des Moines Daily News, May 1914:
“I’ve heard [Reverend Billy] Sunday give his ‘Booze’ sermon, and believe me that rascal can make tears flow out of a stone. And furthermore he talks ‘cold turkey‘. You know what I mean – calls a spade a spade.”
The Daily Colonist, British Columbia, 1921:
‘Perhaps the most pitiful figures who have appeared before Dr. Carleton Simon … are those who voluntarily surrender themselves. When they go before him, that are given what is called the ‘cold turkey‘ treatment.’
5 Substances You Can’t Quit Cold Turkey
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