in the cold light of day

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in the cold light of day

/ˌɪn ðə ˈkəʊ̯ld ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈdeɪ̯/ UK
/ˌɪn ðə ˈkoʊ̯ld ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈdeɪ̯/ Canada, US
/-ˌlʌɪ̯t-/ Canada
/ˌɪn ðə ˈkəʉ̯ld ˌlɑe̯t əv ˈdæɪ̯/ Australia
/ˌən ðə ˈkɐʉ̯ld ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈdæɪ̯/ New Zealand
/ˌɪn ðə ˈkold ˌlaɪ̯t əv ˈde/ Scotland
/-ˌlʌi̯t-/ Scotland
/-ˌləi̯t-/ Scotland
/ˌɪn d̪e ˈkoːlɖ ˌlajʈ ov ˈɖeː/ India

Where it comes from

Probably an allusion to a situation being seen more clearly in daylight, and after some time has passed. The word cold is used in the sense of “dispassionate; not prejudiced or partisan; impartial”.

phrase

figuratively Viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool or after having sobered up. In the cold light of day, I felt I had overreacted.
Opposite: in the heat of the moment
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see in, the, cold, light, of, day; during the day; in daylight. And above the crowd of living figures rise colossal forms of armed warriors, and peaceful poets, and sceptred monarchs; these glowing crimson; those standing calm and pale in the cold light of day.

Translations

Every language

prep_phrase viewed calmly and dispassionately after allowing emotions to cool

Français	à tête reposée, à froid
Deutsch	nüchtern betrachtet
Italiano	a freddo, a mente fredda

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MLA

"in the cold light of day." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/in%20the%20cold%20light%20of%20day. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

in the cold light of day. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/in%20the%20cold%20light%20of%20day

Chicago

"in the cold light of day." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/in%20the%20cold%20light%20of%20day.

BibTeX

@misc{in_the_cold_light_of_day_2026,
  title = {in the cold light of day},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/in%20the%20cold%20light%20of%20day},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}