simmer down

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Word: Simmer Down

Part of Speech: Phrasal Verb

Definition:

"Simmer down" means to become quiet or calm, especially after being upset, angry, or excited. It is often used when someone needs to cool off after a heated situation or argument.

Usage Instructions:

• When to Use: Use "simmer down" when you want to tell someone to relax or calm their emotions after an intense moment.
• Who Can Use It: It can be used in both informal conversations and casual contexts, often between friends or family.

Examples:

1. Simple Example: "After their argument, I told my friends to simmer down before discussing the issue again."
2. Contextual Example: "It took a while for the children to simmer down after playing their loud games."

Advanced Usage:

• "Simmer down" can also refer to calming down a situation that is tense or chaotic. For example, "The teacher had to intervene to help the students simmer down during the heated debate."

Word Variants:

• Simmer (verb): To cook something gently at a temperature just below boiling; this is where the phrase originates.
• Calm down (synonym): Another phrase you can use instead of "simmer down."

Different Meanings:

While "simmer down" primarily means to calm down, "simmer" on its own can refer to cooking food gently over heat (e.g., "Let the soup simmer for an hour").

Synonyms:

1. Calm down
2. Cool off
3. Settle down
4. Relax

Related Idioms:

• "Cool your jets": A casual way to tell someone to calm down.
• "Take a breather": Means to take a short break to relax.

Example in a Sentence:

"After a heated discussion, I asked my brother to simmer down so we could talk calmly about our plans."

Academic

Verb

1. become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation
   • After the fight both men need to cool off.
   • It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again.

Synonyms

• calm
• calm down
• cool off
• chill out
• settle down
• cool it