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."

See also: been, keeping

keep cool

1. To stay calm. In this usage, a possessive pronoun is often used between "keep" and "cool." You know they're going to try to antagonize you during the debate, so just keep cool. I always try to keep my 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

(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