give someone the cold shoulder

You use this as a verb phrase. You can say you gave the cold shoulder. You can also say you got the cold shoulder. It works perfectly when describing social tension. "I tried to say hi, but she gave me the cold shoulder." It implies a specific action of rejection. It is not an accident; it is a choice.

Use this when someone is acting distant after a fight. It is great for office drama or friendship breakups. Use it when a celebrity ignores a reporter's question. It fits perfectly in a text to a best friend. "Is Sarah giving me the cold shoulder? She hasn't replied in three days!" It describes that awkward, chilly feeling in the air.

Don't use it for people you don't know. If a stranger ignores you, they are just being rude. Don't use it for technical issues. If your phone dies, you aren't giving the phone the cold shoulder. It requires a human relationship. Also, avoid it in very formal legal documents. It is a bit too descriptive for a court of law.

There is a popular myth about this phrase. People say it comes from serving cold meat to unwanted guests. In the past, a hot meal meant you were welcome. A cold piece of mutton (the shoulder) meant "please leave." While historians debate this, the story remains a classic. It shows how food and hospitality define our social rules.

You might hear someone say they are getting the cold shoulder. This means they are the victim of the silence. You can also say someone is acting cold. Sometimes people just say, "He's icing me out." That is a more modern, slang version. All of them mean the same thing: the social temperature has dropped to freezing.