pick a cold

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "pick a cold" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to refer to choosing a cold beverage or a cold illness, but without context, it is ambiguous and unclear. Example: "When you go to the store, make sure to pick a cold drink for the picnic."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Pick a cold weather sleeping bag for temperatures between -10 and 10 degrees F (-23.3 and -12.2 degrees C).

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He helped pick up a cold, gloomy day for the writer.

The New Yorker

Lastly, make sure to pick up a cold brew from our favorite shop, Stumptown".

Huffington Post

I've had a voice like Rod Stewart all week, very croaky, after picking up a cold during our house move.

Independent

This may be cost-effective, in the face of across-the-board winter fuel hikes, but can put you in serious risk of picking up a cold.

Independent

He picked up a cold at the Sundance film festival, where It Follows recently had its US premiere, and it's been following him around ever since.

The Guardian - Film

This season Raylan picks up a cold case that's over thirty years in the making.

Huffington Post

Something may indeed be lost in picking up a cold brew coffee at the global coffee giant rather than at your local coffee store, run by your local hipsters.

Huffington Post

The best pick for a cold, wintry night was the braised leg of lamb stew paired with creamy polenta.

The New York Times

Though the news was generally good concerning containment in the south, winds are expected to pick up, and a cold front is predicted for Tuesday.

The New York Times

Back at their Emeryville studios, Pixar founder John Lasseter was enlisting Bird to pick up on a cold project: Jan Pinkava's Ratatouille.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To indicate becoming ill, use the standard expression "catch a cold" instead of "pick a cold".

Common error

Do not use the phrase "pick a cold" without specifying what is being picked or whether you are referring to an illness. This phrase can cause confusion as it's not a conventional expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "pick a cold" is not standard English. The intended function is usually to express either the selection of a cold item or the contraction of a cold illness. Ludwig AI points out that this expression is ambiguous and unclear without additional context.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "pick a cold" is not a standard or recommended expression in English. Ludwig AI indicates it's grammatically incorrect and semantically ambiguous. If you aim to express selecting something cold, specify the item, like "pick a cold drink". If you mean contracting an illness, use "catch a cold" instead. The phrase's rare usage and potential for confusion make it best to avoid in favor of clearer alternatives such as "choose a cold beverage" or "catch a cold".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

choose a cold beverage

Focuses on the selection of a cold drink.

catch a cold

Indicates contracting a cold illness.

grab a cold one

An informal way to say "get a cold drink", typically beer.

select a chilled drink

Emphasizes the coolness of the drink being selected.

acquire a cold

A more formal way of saying "catch a cold".

take a cold drink

Simply suggests taking a cold drink.

get a cold drink

A general way to obtain a cold drink.

contract a cold

A more clinical term for getting sick with a cold.

come down with a cold

Suggests the onset of a cold illness.

succumb to a cold

Highlights the negative aspect of getting a cold.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say I got sick with a cold?

The correct way to say you got sick with a cold is to say "I "caught a cold"" or "I came down with a cold".

How can I avoid ambiguity when talking about choosing something cold?

To avoid ambiguity, specify what you are choosing. For example, say "pick a cold drink" or "choose a cold snack".

What does it mean to "catch a cold"?

To "catch a cold" means to become infected with a virus that causes cold symptoms such as a runny nose, cough, and sore throat.

Is "pick a cold" grammatically correct?

No, "pick a cold" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to say "catch a cold" if you mean becoming ill, or specify the object if you mean choosing something cold, like "pick a cold drink".