See Also: cool(1)(dictionary)
cool(2)(dictionary)
cool(dictionary)
COOL BLOOD(law)
Cool hotdogs(recipes)
Cool Gazpacho(recipes)
cool-headed(dictionary)
cool 4, adverb(dictionary)
cool 3, noun(dictionary)
cool 2, verb(dictionary)

cool(1) (iou)



cool adjective. [ku:l]
[Old English col = Middle Low German, Middle Dutch kol (Dutch koel) from Germanic, from base also of COLD adjective.]
1. Moderately cold; agreeable and refreshing, in contrast with heat or cold; producing or maintaining a feeling of coolness; suggestive of coolness. OE.
2. Not affected by passion or emotion; undisturbed, calm. OE.
D. Lessing Very cool, clear and efficient, she found..a new flat and settled into it.
b. Assured and unabashed where diffidence might be expected; calmly audacious in making a proposal or demand. E19.
A. Christie Cool customer. Not giving anything away, is he? Survey A cool lack of morality is not..a guarantee of foreign policy successes. A. Eden A deed of cool and outstanding bravery.
3. Lacking enthusiasm or warmth of interest; lacking in cordiality. L16.
E. Gaskell He had been friendly, though the Cranford ladies had been cool.
4. Of a sum of money: actual, no less than. (Chiefly used as an intensive.) colloq. E18.
A. Sillitoe Mam collected a cool five hundred in insurance and benefits.
5. (Of jazz music, a jazz musician) restrained or relaxed in style (opp. hot); characteristic of those who favour relaxed music; gen. good, excellent, admirably up to date, stylish. colloq. M20.
Observer They got long, sloppy haircuts..and no-press suits with fat lapels. Very cool.
Phrases: cool as a cucumber: see CUCUMBER 2. leave a person cool not particularly excite or interest a person. play it cool: see PLAY verb.
Special collocations & comb.: cool box an insulated box for keeping food cool. cool chamber: where perishable goods may be kept cool. cool-headed adjective not easily excited; calm. cool-house a greenhouse kept at a cool temperature. cool-store: where perishable goods may be kept cool. cool tankard arch. a cooling drink, usu. made of wine, water, lemon-juice, spices, and borage.
coolish adjective somewhat cool E18.
coolly [-(l)li] adverb L16.