cool down
Idioms-
Also, cool off.
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Effect a lower temperature, especially of the body following vigorous exercise. For example, After a race the coach makes the entire team do stretches to cool down , or Let's take a dip to cool off . These phrases date from a.d. 1000 with reference to the weather or cooking (as in First let the eggs cool off ). The first gained renewed currency with the exercise boom of the late 1900s.
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See cool off , def. 2.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That pilot tells passengers to cool down; they’re making a big deal out of nothing.
From Slate • May 10, 2026
After a record-breaking hot streak in March, Southern California is set to cool down this week and get some precipitation, the National Weather Service says.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
You might go out to work and let the house cool down; then return home and fire up the furnace.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
Bikes are a staple at Olympic rinks here, as skaters use them to warm up, cool down and get some easy miles done.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026
God knew I had drunk enough on my journey, but I was sweating now, and I poured water over myself to cool down.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
