right on man!
that got me curious tho
"Going cold turkey" means abruptly stopping an addictive habit, a phrase likely derived from the early 20th century, possibly referencing the cold, clammy skin (resembling a refrigerated turkey) experienced during drug withdrawal. It may also have evolved from "talking cold turkey" (1910s), meaning to speak plainly and without preparation.
Key origins and details regarding the phrase include:
- "Talk Turkey" Evolution: The phrase is likely related to the older idiom "talk turkey" (speaking plainly) or "talk cold turkey," meaning to speak directly and bluntly, which evolved into acting abruptly.
- Early Usage: The phrase was used in 1910 to mean doing something, such as losing money, outright (as in "lost $5,000 cold turkey"). Its first recorded use in reference to quitting a drug addiction appeared in a 1921 British Columbia newspaper.
- Literary Reference: It was popularized by the 1947 novel, I, the Jury by Mickey Spillane, where it was described as "drug addict talk for an all-out cure"
- Suddenness: The phrase implies a sudden and complete stop, similar to how a cold meal requires no preparation.
- Withdrawal Symptoms: One popular theory is that drug addicts in withdrawal suffered from chills and goosebumps, making their skin feel and look like a cold, plucked turkey
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