A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

cold fish • cool fish
cold fish —a callous, unfeeling individual; one who shows
no emotion: He is a real cold fish, never has struck me as the
kind of man to care much for others.
cool fish —(sl., also: cool card) a person who is impudent in
a calm way: Another sense referred to somebody who was as-
sured, audacious or impudent. This turned up in phrases like
a cool fish…
cold for someone • cold to someone
cold for someone —is used of smth. not warm enough for a
person: The water was too cold for me, and I decided not to
bathe that day.
cold to someone —(also: cold with someone) said of smb. who
is not kind or friendly to a person: He was cold to his son that
morning.
college board • college boards
college board —
1
. the governing body in a college: College
board members are encouraged to consult with the School
Boards Association when specific questions arise. 2. (U.S.) an
organization that provides tests and other educational services
for colleges: For the majority of colleges, you’ll have to take
tests issued by the College Board.
college boards —a set of examinations given to test a student’s
readiness for college: My father had a perfect math score on
his college boards, the highest in the country.
collision course • crash course
collision course —
1
. a course, as of moving vehicles, that will
end in a collision if left unchanged: Because of the density of
the fog, the deck officers did not realize that the ships were
now on a collision course. 2. confrontation between opposing
groups, etc. that may end in conflict: All attempts at diplo-
macy have broken down and the two states now appear to be
on a collision course.
crash course —a short intensive course in which one is taught
the most important facts and skills: Well, the powers that be
stipulate that all teachers be computer literate. So I took a
crash course in computers…