catch (a) cold

/kˈatʃ ɐ kˈəʊld/

/kˈætʃ ɐ kˈoʊld/

to catch (a) cold

to get sick with a virus that causes a runny nose, cough, and sore throat

to face problems and difficulties, particularly financial ones

Examples

1. The film caught a cold over the outstanding debt.

2. The investors who have put up around $30 million could catch a cold.

3. It was all going according to plan until we caught a cold and lost funding at the lab.

4. You can make your competitors catch cold and make them not do what they would rather do.