SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

cooling-off

play

adjective cool·ing-off \ ˈkü-liŋ-ˈȯf \

Definition of cooling-off

:designed to allow passions to cool or to permit negotiation between parties

a cooling-off period

First Known Use of cooling-off

1926

Learn More about cooling-off

See words that rhyme with cooling-off

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up cooling-off? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

WORD OF THE DAY

broadside

play

a strongly worded attack

Words at Play

alt-59cabc6d7aa91

How 'Premises' Came to Mean 'Property'

It goes back to the beginning

10 Uncommon Words for 'Drunkard'

Tosspots, stewbums, and all the rest

alt-59c94ad823f29

'Meat Sweats': The Cookout's Worst Nightmare

They're real, but is meat the cause?

alt-59c919f342079

'Diffuse' vs. 'Defuse'

Let us defuse the situation.

Ask the Editors

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066

Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Don't get us started on 'bimonthly'

video-irregardless-grammar-peeve-blend-of-the-synonyms-irrespective-and-regardless

Irregardless

It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).

video-moose-goose-weird-plurals

Weird Plurals

One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?

Word Games

young-plant-shoots

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

You're going to have to memorize the dictionary again.

Take the quiz

stylized-drawing-of-woman-pole-vaulting-across-gap-to-get-trophy

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

No tricks, just difficult words.

Take the quiz

True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz

Bee Cubed

Listen to the words and spell through all three levels.

Play the game