storage

in cold storage

In a hiatus or state of delayed or procrastinated action. Unified action to deal with climate change has been in cold storage ever since the president withdrew from talk with other nations. They put our project in cold storage for the time being, citing budgetary concerns and a lack of faith in its sales.

See also: cold, storage

into cold storage

Into a hiatus or state of delayed or procrastinated action. Many were hopeful that the summit would yield a clear plan of action for dealing with climate change, but any such action went into cold storage when the president suddenly withdrew from the meetings. They put our project into cold storage for the time being, citing budgetary concerns and a lack of faith in its sales.

See also: cold, storage

in cold storage

dead; in a state of death. (Alludes to the actual storage of certain things, such as fur coats, in cold storerooms.) Tom gets paid for putting his subjects in cold storage. Poor old Jed is in cold storage.

See also: cold, storage

in storage

in a place where things are stored or kept. Mary placed her winter clothes in storage during the summer. John's furniture is in storage while he is in the army.

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in cold storage

In a state of abeyance or postponement. For example, We can't consider these design changes now; let's put them in cold storage for a year or so . This expression alludes to the literal storage of food, furs, or other objects in a refrigerated place. [Colloquial; late 1800s]

See also: cold, storage

into cold storage

If you put something into cold storage, you delay doing it or dealing with it. He made it clear that the peace process would have to be put into cold storage until both sides had shown that they were committed to democracy. Note: You can also say that something is in cold storage. A few years ago a publisher asked me to consider writing a novel on the subject, and the idea has been in cold storage ever since.

See also: cold, storage

in cold storage

mod. dead; in a state of death. Rocko gets paid for putting his subjects in cold storage.

See also: cold, storage