cool (cooler comparative) (coolest superlative) (cools 3rd person present) (cooling present participle) (cooled past tense & past participle )
1 adj Something that is cool has a temperature which is low but not very low., (Antonym: warm)
I felt a current of cool air..., The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators.
2 adj If it is cool, or if a place is cool, the temperature of the air is low but not very low.
oft it v-link ADJ (Antonym: warm)
Thank goodness it's cool in here..., Store grains and cereals in a cool, dry place., ...a cool November evening.
Cool is also a noun., n-sing the N, oft N of n
She walked into the cool of the hallway.
3 adj Clothing that is cool is made of thin material so that you do not become too hot in hot weather., (Antonym: warm)
In warm weather, you should wear clothing that is cool and comfortable.
4 adj Cool colours are light colours which give an impression of coolness.
ADJ n (Antonym: warm)
Choose a cool colour such as cream...
5 verb When something cools or when you cool it, it becomes lower in temperature.
Drain the meat and allow it to cool... V
Huge fans will have to cool the concrete floor to keep it below 150 degrees. V n
...a cooling breeze. V-ing
To cool down means the same as to cool., phrasal verb
Avoid putting your car away until the engine has cooled down... V P
The other main way the body cools itself down is by panting. V n P
6 verb When a feeling or emotion cools, or when you cool it, it becomes less powerful.
Within a few minutes tempers had cooled... V
His weird behaviour had cooled her passion. V n
7 adj If you say that a person or their behaviour is cool, you mean that they are calm and unemotional, especially in a difficult situation., (approval)
(=calm)
He was marvelously cool again, smiling as if nothing had happened...
coolly adv
Everyone must think this situation through calmly and coolly., ...coolly `objective' professionals.
8 adj If you say that a person or their behaviour is cool, you mean that they are unfriendly or not enthusiastic.
I didn't like him at all. I thought he was cool, aloof, and arrogant..., The idea met with a cool response...
coolly adv usu ADV with v, also ADV adj
`It's your choice, Nina,' David said coolly.
9 adj If you say that a person or their behaviour is cool, you mean that they are fashionable and attractive.
INFORMAL, approval He was trying to be really cool and trendy.
10 adj If you say that someone is coolabout something, you mean that they accept it and are not angry or upset about it.
(mainly AM)
INFORMAL v-link ADJ, oft ADJ about n (approval)
Bev was really cool about it all.
11 adj If you say that something is cool, you think it is very good.
INFORMAL
(=neat)
Kathleen gave me a really cool dress.
12 adj You can use cool to emphasize that an amount or figure is very large, especially when it has been obtained easily.
INFORMAL ADJ n (emphasis)
Columbia recently re-signed the band for a cool $30 million.
13 If you keep your cool in a difficult situation, you manage to remain calm. If you lose your cool, you get angry or upset.
INFORMAL
keep your cool/lose your cool phrase V inflects
She kept her cool and managed to get herself out of the ordeal...
14 If you play it cool, you deliberately behave in a calm, unemotional way because you do not want people to know you are enthusiastic or angry about something.
INFORMAL
play it cool phrase V inflects
It's ridiculous to play it cool if someone you're mad about is mad about you too.
15
→
as cool as a cucumber
→
cucumber cool down
2 phrasal verb If someone cools down or if you cool them down, they become less angry than they were.
(=calm down) He has had time to cool down and look at what happened more objectively... V P First McNeil had to cool down the volatile Australian 20-year old. V P n (not pron) cool off phrasal verb If someone or something cools off, or if you cool them off, they become cooler after having been hot. Maybe he's trying to cool off out there in the rain... V P She made a fanning motion, pretending to cool herself off... V n P Cool off the carrots quickly. V P n (not pron)
cool-headed
If you describe someone as cool-headed, you mean that they stay calm in difficult situations. adj
(approval)
(=calm)
She has a reputation for being calm and cool-headed., ...a cool-headed, responsible statesman.
ice-cool
If you describe someone as ice-cool, you admire them because they are calm and do not show emotion in difficult situations. (JOURNALISM) adj usu ADJ n (approval)
The ice-cool driver has built a reputation for pulling out his best performances under pressure.
