Cold shoulder

Its origin is attributed to Sir Walter Scott in a work published in 1816, which is in fact a mistranslation of an expression from the Vulgate Bible.

It has been used as a description of aloofness and disdain,[1] a contemptuous look over one's shoulder,[2] and even in the context of a woman attempting to decline the advances of an aggressive man.

[3] Overall, it remains widely popular as a phrase for describing the act of ignoring someone or something, or giving an unfriendly response.

Latin umerus (often misspelled humerus) means both "shoulder" and "back":[5][6][7][1][8] Ye may mind that the Countess's dislike did na gang farther at first than just shewing o' the cauld shouther ...[9]Where "cauld" is the equivalent of cold and "shouther" means shoulder,[10] which is further supported by contextual usage in The Antiquary.

Dated June 1839 in a letter to the editor in the New England newspaper The Bangor Daily Whig and Courier: ... eminent individuals and his cabinet advisers turned "the cold shoulder" to their ambassador, for his independent act upon this occasion.