If one person gives another the cold shoulder, they behave towards them in an unfriendly way, to show them that they do not care about them or that they want them to go away. But when Gough looked to Haig for support, he was given the cold shoulder
If one person cold-shoulders another, they give them the cold-shoulder. Even her own party considered her shrewish and nagging, and cold-shouldered her in the corridors. Deliberate coldness or disregard; a slight or a snub: received the cold shoulder from several members of the club. the cold shoulder to behave in an unfriendly way towards someone that you know shoulder (give sb/get)