Cool

Pronunciation

• enPR: koÍžol, IPA: /kuːl/
• Rhymes: -uːl

Alternative forms

• (all nonstandard slang): coo, kewl, kool, qewl, qool

From Middle English, from Old English cōl ("cool, cold, tranquil, calm"), from Proto-Germanic *kōlaz, *kōlijaz ("cool"), from Proto-Indo-European *gelǝ- ("cold"). Cognate with Dutch koel ("cool"), German kühl ("cool"). Related to cold.

Full definition of cool

Adjective

1. Having a slightly low temperature; mildly or pleasantly cold.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 8, The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with a lavish nature. Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet:....
2. Allowing or suggesting heat relief.
   a cool grey colour
• 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 2, Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety.  She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.
3. Of a person, not showing emotion, calm and in self-control.
4. Unenthusiastic, lukewarm, skeptical.
   His proposals had a cool reception.
5. Calmly audacious.
   In control as always, he came up with a cool plan.
• Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)Its cool stare of familiarity was intolerable.
• 1944 November 28, Irving Brecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe, Meet Me in St. Louis, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer:My father was talking to the World's Fair Commission yesterday, and they estimate it's going to cost a cool fifty million.
6. (informal) Of a person, knowing what to do and how to behave; considered popular by others.
7. (informal) In fashion, part of or fitting the in crowd; originally hipster slang.
• 2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xiiThe fact that I was middle-aged, bald, married, and raising girls instead of chasing them didn't really bother me. Muscles are cool at any age.
8. (informal) Of an action, all right; acceptable; that does not present a problem.
   Is it cool if I sleep here tonight?
9. (informal) A dismissal of a comment perceived as boring or pointless.
   Ok, that's cool man, but I don't care.
   cool story bro
10. (informal) Of a person, not upset by circumstances that might ordinarily be upsetting.
    I'm completely cool about my girlfriend leaving me.
11. Applied facetiously to a sum of money, commonly as if to give emphasis to the largeness of the amount.
• Henry Fielding (1707-1754)He had lost a cool hundred.
• Charles Dickens (1812-1870)leaving a cool thousand to Mr. Matthew Pocket

Synonyms

• having a slightly low temperature chilly
• not showing emotion distant, phlegmatic, standoffish, unemotional
• in fashion
• standard à la mode, fashionable, in fashion, modish, stylish
• colloquial or slang happening, hip, in, trendy
• acceptable acceptable, all right, OK
• not upset easy, fine, not bothered, not fussed'''

Antonyms

• having a slightly low temperature lukewarm, tepid, warm
• not showing emotion passionate
• knowing what to do and how to behave awkward, uncool
• in fashion démodé, old hat, out, out of fashion
• acceptable not cricket UK, not on, unacceptable
• not upset bothered, upset
• unenthusiastic warm

Derived terms

Noun

1. A moderate or refreshing state of cold; moderate temperature of the air between hot and cold; coolness.in the cool of the morning
2. A calm temperament.

Synonyms

• (calm temperament) calmness, composure

From Middle English colen, from Old English cōlian ("to cool, grow cold, be cold"), from Proto-Germanic *kōlēną ("to become cold"), from Proto-Indo-European *gel- ("to freeze"). Cognate with Dutch koelen ("to cool"), German kühlen ("to cool"), Swedish, häftig ("cool")kyla ("to cool, refrigerate"). Also partially from Middle English kelen, from Old English cēlan ("to cool, be cold, become cold"), from Proto-Germanic *kōlijaną ("to cool"), altered to resemble the adjective cool. See keel.

Verb

1. (literally intransitive) To lose heat, to get colder.I like to let my tea cool before drinking it so I don't burn my tongue.
2. (transitive) To make cooler, less warm
• Bible, Luke xvi. 24Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue.
3. (figuratively, intransitive) To become less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.Relations cooled between the USA and the USSR after 1980.
4. (transitive) To make less intense, e.g. less amicable or passionate.
• ShakespeareWe have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts.

Derived terms

Anagrams

• colo, Colo.
• loco