Gives the cold shoulder' is an idiom which means to reject or ignore someone. It is usually used when someone does not want to associate with another person. The crossword solutions for this term are 'spurns', 'SHUNS', and 'SNUBS'. All three words mean to reject or ignore someone, but in slightly different ways. Spurning is a more extreme form of rejection, while shunning implies a more long-term avoidance of someone. Snubbing is a more direct form of rejection, often done in a rude or dismissive manner.