Chapter 51

Cog`i*ta"tion (?), n. [L. cogitatio: cf. F. cogitation.] The act of thinking; thought; meditation; contemplation. "Fixed in cogitation deep." Milton.

Cog"i*ta*tive (?), a. [Cf. LL. cogitativus.] 1. Possessing, or pertaining to, the power of thinking or meditating. "Cogitative faculties." Wollaston.

2. Given to thought or contemplation. Sir H. Wotton.

Cog"man (?), n. A dealer in cogware or coarse cloth. [Obs.] Wright.

Co"gnac` (?), n. [F.] A kind of French brandy, so called from the town of Cognac.

Cog"nate (?), a. [L. cognatus; co- + gnatus, natus, p. p. of nasci, anciently gnasci, to be born. See Nation, and cf. Connate.] 1. Allied by blood; kindred by birth; specifically (Law), related on the mother's side.

2. Of the same or a similar nature; of the same family; proceeding from the same stock or root; allied; kindred; as, a cognate language.

Cog"nate, n. 1. (Law) One who is related to another on the female side. Wharton.

2. One of a number of things allied in origin or nature; as, certain letters are cognates.

Cog"nate*ness, n. The state of being cognate.

||Cog*na"ti (?), n. pl. [L.] (Law) Relatives by the mother's side. Wharton.

Cog*na"tion (?), n. [L. cognatio.] 1. Relationship by blood; descent from the same original; kindred.

As by our cognation to the body of the first Adam. Jer. Taylor.

2. Participation of the same nature. Sir T. Browne.

A like temper and cognation. Sir K. Digby.

3. (Law) That tie of consanguinity which exists between persons descended from the same mother; -- used in distinction from agnation.

||Cog*na"tus (?), n. [L., a kinsman.] (Law) A person connected through cognation.

{ Cog`ni*sor" (? or ?), Cog`ni*see (?), } n. See Cognizor, Cognizee.

Cog*ni"tion (?), n. [L. cognitio, fr. cognoscere, cognitum, to become acquainted with, to know; co- + noscere, gnoscere, to get a knowledge of. See Know, v. t.] 1. The act of knowing; knowledge; perception.

I will not be myself nor have cognation Of what I feel: I am all patience. Shak.

2. That which is known.

Cog"ni*tive (?), a. Knowing, or apprehending by the understanding; as, cognitive power. South.

Cog"ni*za*ble (? or &?;), a. [F. connaissable, fr. connaţtre to know, L. cognoscere. See Cognition.] 1. Capable of being known or apprehended; as, cognizable causes.

2. Fitted to be a subject of judicial investigation; capable of being judicially heard and determined.

Cognizable both in the ecclesiastical and secular courts. Ayliffe.

Cog"ni*za*bly, adv. In a cognizable manner.

Cog"ni*zance (? or ?; 277), n. [OF. conissance, conoissance, F. connaissance, LL. cognoscentia, fr. L. cognoscere to know. See Cognition, and cf. Cognoscence, Connoisseur.] 1. Apprehension by the understanding; perception; observation.

Within the cognizance and lying under the control of their divine Governor. Bp. Hurd

2. Recollection; recognition.

Who, soon as on that knight his eye did glance, Eftsoones of him had perfect cognizance. Spenser.

3. (Law) (a) Jurisdiction, or the power given by law to hear and decide controversies. (b) The hearing a matter judicially. (c) An acknowledgment of a fine of lands and tenements or confession of a thing done. [Eng.] (d) A form of defense in the action of replevin, by which the defendant insists that the goods were lawfully taken, as a distress, by defendant, acting as servant for another. [Eng.] Cowell. Mozley & W.

4. The distinguishing mark worn by an armed knight, usually upon the helmet, and by his retainers and followers: Hence, in general, a badge worn by a retainer or dependent, to indicate the person or party to which he belonged; a token by which a thing may be known.

Wearing the liveries and cognizance of their master. Prescott.

This pale and angry rose, As cognizance of my blood-drinking hate. Shak.

Cog"ni*zant (? or ?), a. [See Cognizance, and cf. Connusant.] Having cognizance or knowledge. (of).

Cog"nize (?), v. t. [Cf. Cognizant, Recognize.] To know or perceive; to recognize.

The reasoning faculty can deal with no facts until they are cognized by it. H. Spencer.

Cog`ni*zee" (? or ?), n. (Law) One to whom a fine of land was acknowledged. Blackstone.

Cog`ni*zor (?), n. [See Cognizance.] (Law) One who acknowledged the right of the plaintiff or cognizee in a fine; the defendant. Blackstone.

Cog*no"men (?), n. [L.: co- + (g)nomen name.] 1. The last of the three names of a person among the ancient Romans, denoting his house or family.

2. (Eng. Law) A surname.

Cog*nom"i*nal (?), a. Of or pertaining to a cognomen; of the nature of a surname.

Cog*nom"i*nal, n. One bearing the same name; a namesake. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

Cog*nom`i*na"tion (?), n. [L. cognominatio.] A cognomen or surname. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

Cog*nos"cence (?), n. [LL. cognoscentia. See Cognizance.] Cognizance. [R.] Dr. H. More.

||Cog`nos*cen"te (?), n.; pl. Cognoscenti (#). [OIt. cognoscente, p. pr. of cognoscere, It. conoscere to know.] A connoisseur. Mason.

Cog*nos`ci*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality of being cognoscible. Cudworth.

Cog*nos"ci*ble (?), a. 1. Capable of being known. "Matters intelligible and cognoscible." Sir M. Hale.

2. Liable to judicial investigation. Jer. Taylor.

Cog*nos"ci*tive (?), a. Having the power of knowing. [Obs.] "An innate cognoscitive power." Cudworth.

||Cog*no"vit (?), n. [L., he has acknowledged.] (Law) An instrument in writing whereby a defendant in an action acknowledges a plaintiff's demand to be just. Mozley & W.

Co*guard"i*an (?), n. A joint guardian.

Cogue (?), n. [Cf. Cog a small boat.] A small wooden vessel; a pail. [Scot.] Jamieson.

Cog"ware` (?), n. A coarse, narrow cloth, like frieze, used by the lower classes in the sixteenth century. Halliwell.

Cog"wheel` (?), n. A wheel with cogs or teeth; a gear wheel. See Illust. of Gearing.

Co*hab"it (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cohabited; p. pr. & vb. n. Cohabiting.] [L. cohabitare; co- + habitare to dwell, to have possession of (a place), freg. of habere to have. See Habit, n. & v.] 1. To inhabit or reside in company, or in the same place or country.

The Philistines were worsted by the captived ark . . . : they were not able to cohabit with that holy thing. South.

2. To dwell or live together as husband and wife.

The law presumes that husband and wife cohabit together, even after a voluntary separation has taken place between them. Bouvier.

&fist; By the common law as existing in the United States, marriage is presumed when a man and woman cohabit permanently together, being reputed by those who know them to be husband and wife, and admitting the relationship. Wharton.

Co*hab"it*ant (?), n. [L. cohabitans, p. pr.] One who dwells with another, or in the same place or country.

No small number of the Danes became peaceable cohabitants with the Saxons in England. Sir W. Raleigh.

Co*hab"i*ta"tion (?), n. [L. cohabitatio.] 1. The act or state of dwelling together, or in the same place with another. Feltham.

2. (Law) The living together of a man and woman in supposed sexual relationship.

That the duty of cohabitation is released by the cruelty of one of the parties is admitted. Lord Stowell.

Co*hab"it*er (?), n. A cohabitant. Hobbes.

Co*heir (?), n. A joint heir; one of two or more heirs; one of several entitled to an inheritance.

Co*heir"ess (?), n. A female heir who inherits with other heiresses; a joint heiress.

Co*heir"ship, n. The state of being a coheir.

Co*her"ald (?), n. A joint herald.

Co*here" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Cohered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Cohering (?).] [L. cohaerere, cohaesum; co- + haerere to stick, adhere. See Aghast, a.] 1. To stick together; to cleave; to be united; to hold fast, as parts of the same mass.

Neither knows he . . . how the solid parts of the body are united or cohere together. Locke.

2. To be united or connected together in subordination to one purpose; to follow naturally and logically, as the parts of a discourse, or as arguments in a train of reasoning; to be logically consistent.

They have been inserted where they best seemed to cohere. Burke.

3. To suit; to agree; to fit. [Obs.]

Had time cohered with place, or place with wishing. Shak.

Syn. -- To cleave; unite; adhere; stick; suit; agree; fit; be consistent.

{ Co*her"ence (?), Co*her"en*cy (?) }, n. [L. cohaerentia: cf. F. cohÚrence.] 1. A sticking or cleaving together; union of parts of the same body; cohesion.

2. Connection or dependence, proceeding from the subordination of the parts of a thing to one principle or purpose, as in the parts of a discourse, or of a system of philosophy; consecutiveness.

Coherence of discourse, and a direct tendency of all the parts of it to the argument in hand, are most eminently to be found in him. Locke.

Co*her"ent (?), a. [L. cohaerens, p. pr. See Cohere.] 1. Sticking together; cleaving; as the parts of bodies; solid or fluid. Arbuthnot.

2. Composed of mutually dependent parts; making a logical whole; consistent; as, a coherent plan, argument, or discourse.

3. Logically consistent; -- applied to persons; as, a coherent thinker. Watts.

4. Suitable or suited; adapted; accordant. [Obs.]

Instruct my daughter how she shall persever, That time and place, with this deceit so lawful, May prove coherent. Shak.

Co*her"ent*ly, adv. In a coherent manner.

Co*he`si*bil"i*ty (? or ?), n. The state of being cohesible. Good.

Co*he"si*ble (?), a. Capable of cohesion.

Co*he"sion (?), n. [Cf. F. cohÚsion. See Cohere.] 1. The act or state of sticking together; close union.

2. (Physics) That from of attraction by which the particles of a body are united throughout the mass, whether like or unlike; -- distinguished from adhesion, which unites bodies by their adjacent surfaces.

Solids and fluids differ in the degree of cohesion, which, being increased, turns a fluid into a solid. Arbuthnot.

3. Logical agreement and dependence; as, the cohesion of ideas. Locke.

Co*he"sive (?), a. 1. Holding the particles of a homogeneous body together; as, cohesive attraction; producing cohesion; as, a cohesive force.

2. Cohering, or sticking together, as in a mass; capable of cohering; tending to cohere; as, cohesive clay.

Cohesive attraction. See under Attraction.

-- Co*he"sive*ly, adv. -- Co*he"sive*ness, n.

Co*hib"it (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cohibited; p. pr. & vb. n. Cohibiting.] [L. cohibitus, p. p. of cohibere to confine; co- + habere to hold.] To restrain. [Obs.] Bailey.

Co`hi*bi"tion (?), n. [L. cohibitio.] Hindrance; restraint. [Obs.]

Co`ho*bate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cohobated; p. pr. & vb. n. Cohobating.] [LL. cohobare; prob. of Arabic origin: cf. F. cohober.] (Anc. Chem.) To repeat the distillation of, pouring the liquor back upon the matter remaining in the vessel. Arbuthnot.

Co`ho*ba"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. cohobation.] (Anc. Chem.) The process of cohobating. Grew.

Co"horn (?), n. (Mil.) See Coehorn.

Co"hort (?), n. [L. cohors, prop. an inclosure: cf. F. cohorte. See Court, n.] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A body of about five or six hundred soldiers; the tenth part of a legion.

2. Any band or body of warriors.

With him the cohort bright Of watchful cherubim. Milton.

3. (Bot.) A natural group of orders of plants, less comprehensive than a class.

Co"hosh (?), n. (Bot.) A perennial American herb (Caulophyllum thalictroides), whose rootstock is used in medicine; -- also called pappoose root. The name is sometimes also given to the Cimicifuga racemosa, and to two species of ActŠa, plants of the Crowfoot family.

Coif (koif), n. [OF. coife, F. coiffe, LL. cofea, cuphia, fr. OHG. kuppa, kuppha, miter, perh. fr. L. cupa tub. See Cup, n.; but cf. also Cop, Cuff the article of dress, Quoif, n.] A cap. Specifically: (a) A close-fitting cap covering the sides of the head, like a small hood without a cape. (b) An official headdress, such as that worn by certain judges in England. [Written also quoif.]

From point and saucy ermine down To the plain coif and russet gown. H. Brocke.

The judges, . . . althout they are not of the first magnitude, nor need be of the degree of the coif, yet are they considerable. Bacon.

Coif (koif), v. t. [Cf. F. coiffer.] To cover or dress with, or as with, a coif.

And coif me, where I'm bald, with flowers. J. G. Cooper.

Coifed (koift), a. Wearing a coif.

Coif"fure (?), n. [F., fr. coiffer. See Coif.] A headdress, or manner of dressing the hair. Addison.

Coigne (koin), n. [See Coin, n.] A quoin.

See you yound coigne of the Capitol? yon corner stone? Shak.

{ Coigne, Coign"y (?), } n. The practice of quartering one's self as landlord on a tenant; a quartering of one's self on anybody. [Ireland] Spenser.

Coil (koil), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coiled (koild); p. pr. & vb. n. Coiling.] [OF. coillir, F. cueillir, to collect, gather together, L. coligere; col- + legere to gather. See Legend, and cf. Cull, v. t., Collect.] 1. To wind cylindrically or spirally; as, to coil a rope when not in use; the snake coiled itself before springing.

2. To encircle and hold with, or as with, coils. [Obs. or R.] T. Edwards.

Coil, v. i. To wind itself cylindrically or spirally; to form a coil; to wind; -- often with about or around.

You can see his flery serpents . . . Coiting, playing in the water. Longfellow.

Coil, n. 1. A ring, series of rings, or spiral, into which a rope, or other like thing, is wound.

The wild grapevines that twisted their coils from trec to tree. W. Irving.

2. Fig.: Entanglement; toil; mesh; perplexity.

3. A series of connected pipes in rows or layers, as in a steam heating apparatus.

Induction coil. (Elec.) See under Induction. -- Ruhmkorff's coil (Elec.), an induction coil, sometimes so called from Ruhmkorff (&?;), a prominent manufacturer of the apparatus.

Coil, n. [Of Celtic origin; cf. Gael. goil fume, rage.] A noise, tumult, bustle, or confusion. [Obs.] Shak.

Coi"lon (?), n. [F. See Cullion.] A testicle. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Coin (koin), n. [F. coin, formerly also coing, wedge, stamp, corner, fr. L. cuneus wedge; prob. akin to E. cone, hone. See Hone, n., and cf. Coigne, Quoin, Cuneiform.] 1. A quoin; a corner or external angle; a wedge. See Coigne, and Quoin.

2. A piece of metal on which certain characters are stamped by government authority, making it legally current as money; -- much used in a collective sense.

It is alleged that it [a subsidy] exceeded all the current coin of the realm. Hallam.

3. That which serves for payment or recompense.

The loss of present advantage to flesh and blood is repaid in a nobler coin. Hammond.

Coin balance. See Illust. of Balance. -- To pay one in his own coin, to return to one the same kind of injury or ill treatment as has been received from him. [Colloq.]

Coin, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coined (koind); p. pr. & vb. n. Coining.] 1. To make of a definite fineness, and convert into coins, as a mass of metal; to mint; to manufacture; as, to coin silver dollars; to coin a medal.

2. To make or fabricate; to invent; to originate; as, to coin a word.

Some tale, some new pretense, he daily coined, To soothe his sister and delude her mind. Dryden.

3. To acquire rapidly, as money; to make.

Tenants cannot coin rent just at quarter day. Locke.

Coin, v. i. To manufacture counterfeit money.

They cannot touch me for coining. Shak.

Coin"age (?), n. [From Coin, v. t., cf. Cuinage.] 1. The act or process of converting metal into money.

The care of the coinage was committed to the inferior magistrates. Arbuthnot.

2. Coins; the aggregate coin of a time or place.

3. The cost or expense of coining money.

4. The act or process of fabricating or inventing; formation; fabrication; that which is fabricated or forged. "Unnecessary coinage . . . of words." Dryden.

This is the very coinage of your brain. Shak.

Co`in*cide" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Coincided (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Coinciding.] [L. co- + incidere to fall on; in + cadere to fall: cf. F. co´ncider. See Chance, n.] 1. To occupy the same place in space, as two equal triangles, when placed one on the other.

If the equator and the ecliptic had coincided, it would have rendered the annual revoluton of the earth useless. Cheyne.

2. To occur at the same time; to be contemporaneous; as, the fall of Granada coincided with the discovery of America.

3. To correspond exactly; to agree; to concur; as, our aims coincide.

The rules of right jugdment and of good ratiocination often coincide with each other. Watts.

Co*in"ci*dence (k&osl;*&ibreve;n"s&ibreve;*dens), n. [Cf. F. co´ncidence.] 1. The condition of occupying the same place in space; as, the coincidence of circles, surfaces, etc. Bentley.

2. The condition or fact of happening at the same time; as, the coincidence of the deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

3. Exact correspondence in nature, character, result, circumstances, etc.; concurrence; agreement.

The very concurrence and coincidence of so many evidences . . . carries a great weight. Sir M. Hale.

Those who discourse . . . of the nature of truth . . . affirm a perfect coincidence between truth and goodness. South.

Co*in"ci*den*cy (?), n. Coincidence. [R.]

Co*in"ci*dent (k&osl;*&ibreve;n"s&ibreve;*dent), a. [Cf. F. co´ncident.] Having coincidence; occupying the same place; contemporaneous; concurrent; -- followed by with.

Christianity teaches nothing but what is perfectly suitable to, and coincident with, the ruling principles of a virtuous and well-inclined man. South.

Co*in"ci*dent (?), n. One of two or more coincident events; a coincidence. [R.] "Coincidents and accidents." Froude.

Co*in`ci*den"tal (?), a. Coincident.

Co*in"ci*dent*ly (?), adv. With coincidence.

Co`in*cid"er (?), n. One who coincides with another in an opinion.

Co*in`di*ca"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. co´dication.] One of several signs or symptoms indicating the same fact; as, a coindication of disease.

Coin"er (?), n. 1. One who makes or stamps coin; a maker of money; -- usually, a maker of counterfeit money.

Precautions such as are employed by coiners and receivers of stolen goods. Macaulay.

2. An inventor or maker, as of words. Camden.

Co`in*hab"it*ant (?), n. One who dwells with another, or with others. "Coinhabitants of the same element." Dr. H. More.

Co`in*here" (?), v. i. To inhere or exist together, as in one substance. Sir W. Hamilton.

Co`in*her"it*ance (?), n. Joint inheritance.

Co`in*her"it*or (?), n. A coheir.

Co`in*i"tial (?), a. (Math.) Having a common beginning.

Co*in"qui*nate (?), v. t. [L. coinquinatus, p. p. of coinquinare to defile. See Inquinate.] To pollute. [Obs.] Skelton.

Co*in`qui*na"tion (?), n. Defilement. [Obs.]

Co*in"stan*ta"ne*ous (?), a. Happening at the same instant. C. Darwin.

Co`intense" (?), a. Equal in intensity or degree; as, the relations between 6 and 12, and 8 and 16, are cointense. H. Spencer.

Co`in*ten"sion (?), n. The condition of being of equal in intensity; -- applied to relations; as, 3:6 and 6:12 are relations of cointension.

Cointension . . . is chosen indicate the equality of relations in respect of the contrast between their terms. H. Spencer.

Coir (koir), n. [Tamil kayiru.] 1. A material for cordage, matting, etc., consisting of the prepared fiber of the outer husk of the cocoanut. Homans.

2. Cordage or cables, made of this material.

Cois"tril (?), n. [Prob. from OF. coustillier groom or lad. Cf. Custrel.] 1. An inferior groom or lad employed by an esquire to carry the knight's arms and other necessaries. [Written also coistrel.]

2. A mean, paltry fellow; a coward. [Obs.] Shak.

Coit (koit), n. [See Quoit.] A quoit. [Obs.] Carew.

Coit, v. t. To throw, as a stone. [Obs.] See Quoit.

Co*i"tion (?), n. [L. coitio, fr. coire to come together; co- + ire to go.] A coming together; sexual intercourse; copulation. Grew.

Co*join" (?), v. t. To join; to conjoin. [R.] Shak.

Co*ju"ror (?), n. One who swears to another's credibility. W. Wotton.

Coke (?), n. [Perh. akin to cake, n.] Mineral coal charred, or depriver of its bitumen, sulphur, or other volatile matter by roasting in a kiln or oven, or by distillation, as in gas works. It is lagerly used where &?; smokeless fire is required. [Written also coak.]

Gas coke, the coke formed in gas retorts, as distinguished from that made in ovens.

Coke, v. t. To convert into coke.

Coke"nay (?), n. A cockney. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Co"ker*nut` (?), n. (Com.) The cocoanut.

&fist; A mode of spelling introduced by the London customhouse to distinguish more widely between this and other articles spelt much in the same manner.

Cokes (?), n. [OE. Cf. Coax.] A simpleton; a gull; a dupe. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Coke"wold (?), n. Cuckold. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Col- (&?;). A prefix signifying with, together. See Com-.

||Col (?), n. [F., neck, fr. L. collum neck.] A short ridge connecting two higher elevations or mountains; the pass over such a ridge.

Co*la"bor*er (?), n. One who labors with another; an associate in labor.

Col"an*der (?), n. [L. colans, -antis, p. pr. of colare to filter, to strain, fr. colum a strainer. Cf. Cullis, Culvert.] A utensil with a bottom perforated with little holes for straining liquids, mashed vegetable pulp, etc.; a strainer of wickerwork, perforated metal, or the like.

Co*la"tion (?), n. [See Colander.] The act or process of straining or filtering. [R.]

Co*lat"i*tude (?; 134), n. [Formed like cosine. See Cosine.] The complement of the latitude, or the difference between any latitude and ninety degrees.

Col"a*ture (?; 135), n. [L. colatura, from colare: cf. F. colature. See Colander.] The process of straining; the matter strained; a strainer. [R.]

Col"ber*tine (?), n. [From Jean Baptiste Colbert, a minister of Louis XIV., who encouraged the lace manufacture in France.] A kind of lace. [Obs.]

Pinners edged with colbertine. Swift.

Difference rose between Mechlin, the queen of lace, and colbertine. Young.

Col"chi*cine (? or ?), n. [Cf. F. colchicine.] (Chem.) A powerful vegetable alkaloid, C17H19NO5, extracted from the Colchicum autumnale, or meadow saffron, as a white or yellowish amorphous powder, with a harsh, bitter taste; -- called also colchicia.

Col"chi*cum (?), n. [L., a plant with a poisonous root, fr. Colchicus Colchian, fr. Colchis, Gr. &?;, an ancient province in Asia, east of the Black Sea, where was the home of Media the sorceress.] (Bot.) A genus of bulbous-rooted plants found in many parts of Europe, including the meadow saffron.

&fist; Preparations made from the poisonous bulbs and seeds, and perhaps from the flowers, of the Colchicum autumnale (meadow saffron) are used as remedies for gout and rheumatism.

Col"co*thar (k&obreve;l"k&osl;*th&etilde;r), n. [NL. colcothar vitrioli, fr. Ar. qolqo&tsdot;ar.] (Chem.) Polishing rouge; a reddish brown oxide of iron, used in polishing glass, and also as a pigment; -- called also crocus Martis.

Cold (kōld), a. [Compar. Colder (-&etilde;r); superl. Coldest.] [OE. cold, cald, AS. cald, ceald; akin to OS. kald, D. koud, G. kalt, Icel. kaldr, Dan. kold, Sw. kall, Goth. kalds, L. gelu frost, gelare to freeze. Orig. p. p. of AS. calan to be cold, Icel. kala to freeze. Cf. Cool, a., Chill, n.] 1. Deprived of heat, or having a low temperature; not warm or hot; gelid; frigid. "The snowy top of cold Olympis." Milton.

2. Lacking the sensation of warmth; suffering from the absence of heat; chilly; shivering; as, to be cold.

3. Not pungent or acrid. "Cold plants." Bacon

4. Wanting in ardor, intensity, warmth, zeal, or passion; spiritless; unconcerned; reserved.

A cold and unconcerned spectator. T. Burnet.

No cold relation is a zealous citizen. Burke.

5. Unwelcome; disagreeable; unsatisfactory. "Cold news for me." "Cold comfort." Shak.

6. Wanting in power to excite; dull; uninteresting.

What a deal of cold business doth a man misspend the better part of life in! B. Jonson.

The jest grows cold . . . when in comes on in a second scene. Addison.

7. Affecting the sense of smell (as of hunting dogs) but feebly; having lost its odor; as, a cold scent.