"cold as charity" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_text": "An ironic reference to the cold-hearted nature of much so-called charity, which should naturally be warm.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "cold as charity (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with topic categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English similes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Temperature",
          "orig": "en:Temperature",
          "parents": [
            "Nature",
            "Weather",
            "All topics",
            "Atmosphere",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1883, Tinsley's magazine, conducted by E. Yates, volume 33, page 28",
          "text": "\"Here's another funny thing I don't quite believe,\" he said; \"a minute ago the tea was boiling hot, and now it's as cold as charity. But I mustn't forget it's winter; that's what's making my fingers tremble so. Jolly cold — jolly cold. Yes, jolly cold as charity sounds topsy-turvy.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Very cold, whether in temperature or in demeanour."
      ],
      "id": "en-cold_as_charity-en-adj-ldZRjkX1",
      "links": [
        [
          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ],
        [
          "cold",
          "cold"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "simile",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(simile, rare, humorous) Very cold, whether in temperature or in demeanour."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "cold as a witch's teat"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-cold as charity.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2c/En-au-cold_as_charity.ogg/En-au-cold_as_charity.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/En-au-cold_as_charity.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cold as charity"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "An ironic reference to the cold-hearted nature of much so-called charity, which should naturally be warm.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "cold as charity (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "cold as a witch's teat"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English adjectives",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English entries with topic categories using raw markup",
        "English humorous terms",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English similes",
        "English terms with audio links",
        "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with rare senses",
        "English uncomparable adjectives",
        "en:Temperature"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1883, Tinsley's magazine, conducted by E. Yates, volume 33, page 28",
          "text": "\"Here's another funny thing I don't quite believe,\" he said; \"a minute ago the tea was boiling hot, and now it's as cold as charity. But I mustn't forget it's winter; that's what's making my fingers tremble so. Jolly cold — jolly cold. Yes, jolly cold as charity sounds topsy-turvy.\"",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Very cold, whether in temperature or in demeanour."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "humorous",
          "humorous"
        ],
        [
          "cold",
          "cold"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "simile",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(simile, rare, humorous) Very cold, whether in temperature or in demeanour."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "humorous",
        "not-comparable",
        "rare"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-cold as charity.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2c/En-au-cold_as_charity.ogg/En-au-cold_as_charity.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/En-au-cold_as_charity.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "cold as charity"
}