When my dog was alive and in her latter years if I tried to take her out when it was very cold, she would step out of the door, look up at the sky, look at me and seem to say Really? !! Then she would do an about turn and walk back in!
i have known the word perishing every since i was a small child, can be used in a number of ways, perisher for a naughty child, perishing, freezing cold weather.