0567 Chill - English Idioms

Explanation

Chill (verb/adjective) / Chill out (verb phrase): To relax, calm down, or spend time relaxing.
As an adjective, chill means relaxed, easygoing, or calm.

Origin

Derived from the literal meaning of cool down or lower temperature.
Metaphorically applied to temperament and emotions – becoming less hot or agitated.
Popularized in slang, likely influenced by AAVE and youth culture from the mid-to-late 20th century onwards. Chill out appeared around the 1970s/80s.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal (Relax/Calm down):

Take a chill pill. (Playful/sarcastic way to say calm down)
Veg out. (Relax passively, like watching TV)
Cool your jets. (Calm down, esp. if angry or overly enthusiastic)
Simmer. (Short for 'simmer down')
Woosah. (Referencing a calming technique from the movie *Bad Boys II*, used humorously)

Vulgar/Emphatic (Calm down):

Calm the fuck down.
Stop fucking freaking out.

Milder (Relax/Easygoing):

Unwind.
De-stress.
She has a calm demeanor.
He's quite relaxed.

Situational Appropriateness

Informal. Very common in casual settings.
Telling someone to Chill out! can sound dismissive or condescending, similar to Calm down. Tone is crucial.
Describing someone or something as chill is generally positive and informal.
Avoid in formal contexts.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Ensure context distinguishes between relax and calm down.
Telling someone to chill out can escalate a situation if they feel their concerns are being dismissed.

Examples

Verb: Let's just chill at home tonight. / Dude, you need to chill out!
Adjective: He's a really chill guy. / It was a chill evening.

Dialogue

# Dialogue 1 (Relax):

Friend 1: Long week. I'm exhausted.

Friend 2: Yeah, me too. Want to just chill tonight? Order pizza?

Friend 1: Perfect. Let's just chill.

# Dialogue 2 (Calm down):

Person A: (Panicked) Where are my keys?! I can't find them anywhere! We're going to be late!

Person B: Hey, chill out. Take a breath. Where did you last see them? Let's look calmly.

Person A: Okay... okay. You're right. Let me think.

# Dialogue 3 (Adjective):

Chris: Is the new manager strict?

Dana: Nah, she's pretty chill, actually. Very easygoing.

Response Patterns

To a suggestion (Let's chill):

Agreement: Sounds good., Yeah, let's., Cool.

To a command (Chill out!):

Compliance: Okay, okay, sorry., Alright, deep breaths.
Defensiveness: I *am* chill!, Don't tell me to chill out!

When described as chill:

Acknowledgment: Yeah, I try to be., Thanks.

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After agreeing to chill:

Suggesting relaxing activities: Want to watch a movie?, Put on some music?
Getting comfortable (sitting down, relaxing posture).

After telling someone to chill out:

Explaining why: ...you're overreacting., ...it's not a big deal.
Offering reassurance: Everything's going to be okay.

After being told to chill out (and complying):

Explaining the previous agitation: Sorry, I was just stressed about...
Asking for clarification: What did I do?

Conversation Starter

Suggestion (Want to chill later?): Yes.
Command (Chill out!): No, used mid-situation.
Description (He's chill): Can start a conversation about the person.

Intonation

When suggesting relaxation (Let's chill): Relaxed, casual tone. Stress on chill.
When telling someone to calm down (Chill out!): Can be sharp, commanding, or pleading, depending on urgency. Stress on Chill OUT.
As an adjective (He's chill): Matter-of-fact or approving tone. Stress on chill.

Generation Differences

Extremely common among Millennials and Gen Z.
Understood by older generations but used less frequently by them. They might prefer relax or calm down.
The adjective chill for easygoing is particularly prevalent in younger demographics.

Regional Variations

Very common in American English. Also widely used in Canada, Australia, UK, etc., especially among younger people.

Hang out

🎲 Crash

[0567] Chill