cool (redirected from cooling)

*cool as a cucumber

extremely calm; imperturbable. (*Also: as ~.) Joan felt nervous, but she acted as cool as a cucumber. The politician kept cool as a cucumber throughout the interview with the aggressive journalist.

See also: cucumber

(Have you) been keeping cool? and (Have you been) keeping cool?; You been keeping cool?

Inf. an inquiry about how someone is surviving very hot weather. Tom: What do you think of this hot weather? Been keeping cool? Sue: No, I like this weather just as it is. Mary: Keeping cool? Bill: Yup. Run the air-conditioning all the time.

See also: been, keeping

(I've) been keeping cool. and (I've been) keeping cool.

Inf. an answer to a question about what one has been doing during very hot weather. Jane: How do you like this hot weather? Bill: I've been keeping cool. Mary: Been keeping cool? Bob: Yeah. Been keeping cool.

See also: been, keeping

chill out and cool out

Sl. to calm down. Before we can debate this matter, you're all gonna have to chill out. So sit down and stop bickering. Everybody cooled out after the emergency, and everything was fine.

See also: chill, out

cool someone down and cool someone off 

1. Lit. to cool someone by reducing the heat or applying something cold. Here, have a cold drink. Cool yourself down. The ice finally cooled down the feverish child. We need to cool off the pudding in a hurry.

2. Fig. to reduce someone's anger. (Reducing the "heat" of anger.) I just stared at him while he was yelling. I knew that would cool him down. The coach talked to them for a long time. That cooled them off.

3. Fig. to reduce someone's passion or love. (Reducing the "heat" of passion.) When she slapped him, that really cooled him down. Seeing Mary was too intense, so Bill cooled himself off by breaking it off for a while.

cool someone out

Sl. to calm someone; to appease someone. Cool yourselves out, you people. We gotta be sensible. The manager appeared and tried to cool out everybody, but that was a waste of time.

See also: out

Cool it!

Inf. Calm down!; Take it easy! Don't get mad, Bob. Cool it! Cool it, you guys! No fighting around here.

cool off and cool down 

1. Lit. to lose or reduce heat. I wish my soup would cool off. I'm hungry. It'll cool down this evening, after dusk.

2. Fig. to let one's anger die away. (As the "heat" of anger declines.) I'm sorry I got angry. I'll cool off in a minute. Cool off, Tom. There is no sense getting so excited.

3. Fig. to let one's passion or love die away. (As the "heat" of passion declines.) Ted: Is Bob still in love with Jane? Bill: No, he's cooled off a lot.

cool one's heels

Fig. to wait (for someone); to wait for something to happen. I spent an hour cooling my heels in the waiting room while the doctor saw other patients. All right, if you can't behave properly, just sit down here and cool your heels until I call you.

See also: heel

cool, calm, and collected

Cliché [of a person] very calm and poised. James did very well in his TV appearances. He stayed cool, calm, and collected. The bad news didn't seem to distress Jane at all. She remained cool, calm, and collected.

See also: and

cooled out

Sl. calm; unabashed. Ted is a really cooled out kind of guy. When she's cooled out, she's great.

See also: out

I'm cool.

Inf. I'm fine. Bob: How you been? Fred: I'm cool, man. Yourself? Bob: The same. Father: How are you, son? Bill: I'm cool, Dad. Father (joking): So should I turn up the heat?

keep cool

Inf. to stay calm and undisturbed. Relax, man, keep cool! If Sally could just keep cool before a race, she could probably win.

See also: keep

keep one's cool

Inf. to remain calm and in control. Relax, man! Just keep your cool. It's hard to keep your cool when you've been cheated.

See also: keep

lose one's cool and blow one's cool

to lose one's temper; to lose one's nerve. Wow, he really lost his cool! What a tantrum! Whatever you do, don't blow your cool.

See also: lose

play it cool 

1. Inf. to do something while not revealing insecurities or incompetence; to act blase. Play it cool, man. Look like you belong there. If the boss walks in, just play it cool.

2. Inf. to hold one's temper. Come on now. Let it pass. Play it cool. Don't let them get you mad. Play it cool.

See also: play

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a cool customer  (informal)

someone who stays calm and does not show their emotions, even in a difficult situation I can imagine Pete being good at negotiating. He's a pretty cool customer.

See also: customer

a cool head

the ability to stay calm and think clearly in a difficult situation These are high pressure situations and you have to keep a cool head.

See also: head

be as cool as a cucumber  (humorous)

to be very calm and relaxed, especially in a difficult situation I expected him to be all nervous before his interview but he was as cool as a cucumber.

See also: cucumber

cool your heels

if someone leaves you to cool your heels, they force you to wait, often until you become calmer The youths were left to cool their heels overnight in a police cell.

See keep cool, lose cool, play it cool

See also: heel

Cool it!  (informal)

something that you say in order to tell someone to stop arguing or fighting Hey, cool it, you guys, fighting's not going to solve anything.

How strange/stupid/cool, etc. is that?  (informal)

used to emphasize that something is strange/stupid, etc.

See also: how

keep your cool

to remain calm, especially in a difficult situation If you see a difficult question in the exam, don't panic. Just keep your cool.

See also: keep

lose your cool

to suddenly become very angry and start shouting I try to be patient with her but she was so irritating in that meeting, I just lost my cool.

See also: lose

play it cool  (informal)

to pretend to be calmer, or to be less interested in something or someone, than you really are Sometimes if you play it cool with a guy he gets more interested. (often an order) Play it cool. Don't let them know how much you need the money.

See also: play

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(as) cool as a cucumber

very calm and in control of your emotions When everything seems to be going wrong, she stays as cool as a cucumber.

See also: cucumber

chill out (slang)

to relax I like to come home from work, have dinner, chill out for a little bit, and then go to bed.

Usage notes: often said to someone who is too excited or upset: I was worried about the kids, and he told me I should just chill out.

See also: chill, out

cool your heels

to wait or to be kept waiting Fans of the band were forced to cool their heels outside the theater for 90 minutes.

See also: heel

cool down also cool off

to stop feeling angry After the girls were kept apart for a while, tempers cooled down and the shouting stopped. I was really angry, so I left the house and took a walk to cool off.

cool it

to relax or calm down The best thing both sides can do is to cool it and then get back to talking about the problem. Hugh stepped between the two boys and told them to cool it.

Usage notes: often used as an order: Nikki, leave your brother alone, and, Josh, cool it!

keep your cool

to be calm despite danger or difficulty keep your head Somehow I kept my cool even though Seldon's remarks were unfair and made me angry.

Related vocabulary: keep your shirt on Opposite of: lose your cool

See also: keep

lose your cool

to suddenly become very angry and start shouting I try to be patient with her but she made so many irritating comments, I absolutely lost my cool.

Opposite of: keep your cool

See also: lose

play it cool

to appear to be less interested in or excited than you really are Hank played it cool and stood to the side while the president chatted with the other guests after the ceremony.

See also: play