been keeping cool

(Have you) been keeping cool?

A question about one's well-being in hot weather. A: "How have you been during this brutal heat wave? Been keeping cool?" B: "Oh yeah, thanks to the air conditioning in the office." Been keeping cool? I guess so, since you do have a pool. A: "Have you been keeping cool on these 90 degree days?" B: "I wish. I work outside, and shade is hard to come by."

See also: been, keeping

keep cool

1. To stay calm and composed. You know they're going to try to antagonize you during the debate, so just keep cool. I always try to keep cool when dealing with the cable company.

2. Literally, to not get overly hot, as in hot weather. A: "How have you been during this brutal heat wave?" B: "Oh, keeping cool, thanks to the air conditioning in the office."

See also: cool, keep

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2022 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

(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, cool, keeping

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.