<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Official_Encyclopedia_of_Bridge#Sixth_edition_-_2001" rel="nofollow">Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, 6th Edition (2001)</a> lists:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Cold contract:</strong> Bridge slang for an easily makeable contract.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 8th Edition</em> (c 1980) lists as sense <strong>5 b</strong>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Cold</strong>: certain, sure <em>viz</em> The actors knew their lines cold a week before opening.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>OED Compact Edition (1928) does not list any comparable sense for the word <em>cold</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-01T02:47:06.803Z
Thanks, but I am more interested in the origin, rather than the meaning.
Aryabhata
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-01T02:52:34.040Z
@Aryabhata: That would seem to be sense **5.b** from Webster's, originating between the 1920's and 1980 during the heydays of Culbertson and Goren. I certainly recall the term being common Bridge slang from the mid-70's in Southern Ontario if memory serves honestly.
Forget I was ever here
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-01T03:11:23.677Z
I am guessing it is probably in the 1930s... but perhaps you are right.
Aryabhata
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-31T19:28:41.153Z
2014-01-31T19:44:53.530Z
2014-01-31T19:44:53.530Z
Forget I was ever here
<p>The OED does have a related sense: 
'Without preparation, preliminary performance, etc. Usu. quasi-adv.
1896.. "I'm an easy runner till it comes to the high jump and then I quit cold."'
It was also apparently used between the wars for plays that opened without a preliminary tryout.</p>

<p>So perhaps a contract that can be made without any preliminary setting up, or having to decide which course is better,  fits the description. If you want a more precise answer you could ask on <a href="https://english.stackexchange.com/">English.SE</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-01T11:20:17.087Z
2014-02-01T11:20:17.087Z
2017-04-13T12:38:09.400Z
Tim Lymington
<p>A cold contract usually means that a contract, which makes on most reasonable lines, as the cards lie. You hear people say, "He managed to find a line to go down in a cold contract".</p>

<p>(Note: the meaning could slightly differ based on region etc).</p>

<p>I am curious, how this term came into being. There is a past BBO forums thread: <a href="http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/43444-what-is-a-cold-contract/" rel="nofollow">http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/43444-what-is-a-cold-contract/</a> but that does not seem to help.</p>

<p>Does anyone know the origin of this term?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-01-31T19:33:58.377Z
Yes; that link is to a rant not much use for anything.
Forget I was ever here
<bridge><terminology>
Cold contract in bridge
Aryabhata
# Cold contract in bridge

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-01-31)

A cold contract usually means that a contract, which makes on most reasonable lines, as the cards lie. You hear people say, "He managed to find a line to go down in a cold contract".

(Note: the meaning could slightly differ based on region etc).

I am curious, how this term came into being. There is a past BBO forums thread: <http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/43444-what-is-a-cold-contract/> but that does not seem to help.

Does anyone know the origin of this term?

**Tags:** bridge, terminology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Yes; that link is to a rant not much use for anything.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-01-31. Score: 2

[Official Encyclopedia of Bridge, 6th Edition (2001)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Official_Encyclopedia_of_Bridge#Sixth_edition_-_2001) lists:

> **Cold contract:** Bridge slang for an easily makeable contract.

*Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 8th Edition* (c 1980) lists as sense **5 b**:

> **Cold**: certain, sure *viz* The actors knew their lines cold a week before opening.

OED Compact Edition (1928) does not list any comparable sense for the word *cold*.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks, but I am more interested in the origin, rather than the meaning.  
> **username_1**: @username_0: That would seem to be sense **5.b** from Webster's, originating between the 1920's and 1980 during the heydays of Culbertson and Goren. I certainly recall the term being common Bridge slang from the mid-70's in Southern Ontario if memory serves honestly.  
> **username_0**: I am guessing it is probably in the 1930s... but perhaps you are right.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2014-02-01. Score: 1

The OED does have a related sense:
'Without preparation, preliminary performance, etc. Usu. quasi-adv.
1896.. "I'm an easy runner till it comes to the high jump and then I quit cold."'
It was also apparently used between the wars for plays that opened without a preliminary tryout.

So perhaps a contract that can be made without any preliminary setting up, or having to decide which course is better, fits the description. If you want a more precise answer you could ask on [English.SE](https://english.stackexchange.com/).


---

