cold blood
[see cold a. 7 b.]
A phrase of the older physiology: from the sensations felt in the face and head when the circulation is quickened by exertion or excitement, the blood itself was supposed to grow hot or to ‘boil’, at other times to be ‘cold’ or not sensibly hot. See blood 5. Hence phrase in cold blood: a. Coolly, without excitement, not in a passion; with sang froid; b. Now chiefly in reference to doing with cool deliberation things which look like the cruel deeds of passion.
| a. a 1608 Sir F. Vere Comm. in Arb. Garner VII. 95 A resolution framed in cold blood. a 1642 Sir W. Monson Naval Tracts iii. (1704) 330/2 Punishment is fittest to be executed in cold Blood, the next day. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 407 ¶1 We can talk of Life and Death in cold Blood. 1875 G. J. Whyte-Melville Riding Recoll. ii. (ed. 7) 21 To ride him over a fence or two away from other horses in cold blood. 1881 Mrs. P. O'Donoghue Ladies on Horseback i. iii. 42 A horse..greatly dislikes being brought to his fences in cold blood. |
| b. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 44 ¶5 It..looks like killing in cold Blood. 1757 Smollett Reprisal ii. xv, We Englishmen never cut throats in cold blood. 1879 Froude Cæsar viii. 73 A few thousand prisoners were taken, but they were murdered afterwards in cold blood. |