The expression cold comfort means inadequate consolation for a misfortune. The adjective cold has long been used to mean felt as cold by the receiver, chilling, damping, discouraging. For example, the English poet Geoffrey Chaucer (circa 1342-1400) wrote, in The Nun’s Priest’s Tale:      (interlinear translation – Harvard College) Wommennes conseils been ful ofte colde;      Women’s counsels […]