English Idioms
Comprehensive resource for understanding and mastering English idioms
Cool your jets
Meaning
The idiom "cool your jets" means to slow down or calm down, especially when one is excited or overly enthusiastic about something. It suggests that the person should wait a moment and not rush into making decisions or taking actions that may lead to regret later. The phrase comes from the idea of cooling off a hot engine or slowing down a fast-moving object to prevent damage.
Usage
- John had just won the lottery and was excited about spending all his money. His friend told him to cool his jets and think carefully before making any financial decisions.
- The team had won the game by a large margin, but their coach reminded them to cool their jets and not get too complacent.
- Sarah was really into rock climbing and had just signed up for a competition. Her friend told her to cool her jets and focus on training more before the event.
- The company was planning to expand its operations, but their financial advisor recommended that they cool their jets and analyze the market conditions more carefully.
- The couple had just met and were really hitting it off. However, their relationship started to fizzle out after a few months. Looking back, one of them realized that they should have cooled their jets and taken things slow.
Roots and History
The idiom "cool your jets" has been in use since at least the early 20th century. It originated from the aviation industry, where pilots would use jet fuel to power their engines. If they used too much fuel too quickly, it could cause damage to the engine or even crash the plane. Therefore, pilots were advised to cool their jets and use fuel more efficiently. Over time, the phrase expanded beyond aviation and became a general idiom for slowing down or calming down in other contexts.
Synonyms in English
- Hold off
- Slow down
- Take it easy
- Relax
- Calm down
Synonyms in other languages
- 歇下 (Chinese) - This phrase means to rest or take a break, but can also be used to imply slowing down or calming down mentally.
- לאהטו נסכהדים (Hebrew) - This phrase means "to cool off" and is often used after someone has made an emotional decision that they later regret.
- קבעת מזון (Hebrew) - This phrase means "to calm down" and can be used in a more metaphorical sense to describe a person's mental state.
- לאהטו נסכהדים משורר (Hebrew) - This phrase means "to cool off and relax" and is often used after someone has done some hard work or struggled through a difficult task.
- بיזגו מושעות (Hebrew) - This phrase means "to ease up" and can be used to describe a situation where tension or stress has been reduced.