to play it cool
32
4.5
- phrasal verb
- Informal
- When you're in a tense meeting, it's best to play it cool and stay calm.
- try to play it cool
- just play it cool
- always play it cool
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Watch on YouTubeBut, you know, he, he, he played it cool.
- But, you know, he, he, he played it cool.
- Like stop trying to act, play it cool and just ask your question.
- Well, yeah, but I played it cool.
- Yeah, I totally played it cool.
- You're amongst bunch of immigrants and you try to play it cool.
- Like some of you may play it cool, but your whole vibe is like you are sorry.
- I have to talk about it like I want to play it cool, but sometimes things just really ruffle my feathers.
- Gentle praise will go a lot further than wildly enthusiastic gushing to keep a lid on your enthusiasm and play it cool.
- I'd say play it cool and learn as much as you can because everything you learn you're going to need.
- And so him trying to play it cool, not understanding what you may need and require from him, he's trying to pace himself, so to speak.
- If you guys play it cool, then we can make the Western world look like psychos.
- I went recently to like two things that there were hot dogs there and I had to like play it cool.
- I mean, so I think I've already made my choice because I think that the alternative would have been don't say anything like play it cool.
Examples
-
Annie is now aware of Diane's presence and chooses to play it cool.
Fiction book (1998) -
I consider the options and decide my best move is to just play it cool for now, see what happens.
Fiction book (1996) -
Like stop trying to act, play it cool and just ask your question.
-
- Just play it cool, yeah? - Play it cool.
-
You got to play it cool.
-
And I think you should play it cool and not call around here anymore.
-
I thought I would not trust any of them and just play it cool.
Academic text (1998) -
I wanted to jump him, but I had to play it cool.
Fiction book (2000) -
If anyone starts messin' with ya, play it cool.
-
Just play it cool, amigo.
Synonyms
989
1.4
To become less angry, excited, or upset
138
4.9
To relax and become calm after you feel upset
105
2.7
To become calmer, less angry, or less hot
58
2.5
Feel less angry or excited
32
5.4
To stay calm and control your feelings in a difficult situation
26
5.6
Stay calm and control your feelings in a difficult situation
18
5.0
Deal with a problem calmly without getting upset
6
3.7
Keep power over a situation and stay calm
4
8.6
Calm down and relax after feeling stressed or excited
3
3.9
Stay calm and not get angry or excited in a difficult situation
1
4.4
Stay calm and not get angry in a difficult situation
1
4.6
Stay calm and think clearly in a difficult or dangerous situation
1
3.4
Stay calm and control your feelings when things are hard
To stay calm and in control during a difficult situation
Antonyms
How Calm
1
7.9
- Informal
1
3.4
- Informal
32
4.5
- Informal
431
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'play' (to act or feign) + the dummy pronoun 'it' + 'cool' (calm), so the sense 'act calm / remain composed' is directly predictable from the constituents. This act + adjective pattern is common in other languages and follows normal compositional logic, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely infer the meaning.
Etymology
The phrase play it cool may come from music, where a musician would play in a relaxed, cool style and not show nervousness. That's why play it cool now means 'stay calm' and act confident.