English

Noun

cold war ‎(uncountable)

1. A period of hostile relations between rivals where direct open warfare between them is largely undesired and avoided.
   • 1945, George Orwell, "You and the Atom Bomb", Tribune, 19 October 1945; reprinted in Orwell, Sonia Orwell, and Ian Angus, George Orwell: The Collected Essays, Journalism & Letters, Volume 4: In Front of Your Nose (1946–1950), David R. Godine (2000), ISBN ISBN 1567921361, page 9,

     James Burnham's theory has been much discussed, but few people have yet considered its ideological implications—that is, the kind of world-view, the kind of beliefs, and the social structure that would probably prevail in a state which was at once unconquerable and in a permanent state of “cold war” with its neighbours.

   • 1951, Daniel V. Gallery, Clear the Decks, 19 October 1945, page 100,

     World War III started on VJ Day as a cold war. It began to warm up when the Russians blockaded Berlin and nearly reached the exploding point in Korea.

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