In the dead of winter
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Emphasis on Cold
Used to highlight the extreme cold or harshness of winter. 
The villagers gather supplies to prepare for living in the dead of winter.
Pro Tip 2/3Figurative Use
Figuratively, it can describe situations that seem lifeless or inactive. 
The town's nightlife doesn't exist in the dead of winter; it's like a ghost town.
Pro Tip 3/3Literary Scenes
Often used in literature to set a scene of desolation or quiet. 
In the dead of winter, the snow-covered landscape was beautifully silent.