take the chill off
idiom
: to raise the temperature slightly to a comfortable level
I'll turn on the heat for a bit, just to take the chill off.
Examples of take the chill off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With fall cakes this good, there's no excuse not to try out at least a few of these recipes to take the chill off the cool evenings.
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Patricia S York, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
The fuzzy area rug, fluffy white towels, and flirty ruffled curtain enclosing the footed tub add pattern and color, take the chill off the white fixtures and act as cushy counterpoints to the straight lines of beaded-board walls.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Pants $275 at REI (women’s)
$275 at REI (men’s)
Packing down pants to take the chill off the coldest nights is a favorite strategy of Jake Stern, Outside Magazine’s digital editor.
—Adam Roy, Outside Online, 22 Jan. 2025
Remove the meat from the refrigerator to take the chill off.
—Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2023
Kreutzer’s film is beautiful in ways that rarely take the chill off the central character.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2023
Patio heaters take the chill off, but they are not designed to provide indoor levels of comfort.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 22 Nov. 2022
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Patricia S York, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
The fuzzy area rug, fluffy white towels, and flirty ruffled curtain enclosing the footed tub add pattern and color, take the chill off the white fixtures and act as cushy counterpoints to the straight lines of beaded-board walls.
—Emily Williams, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Mar. 2025
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Pants $275 at REI (women’s)
$275 at REI (men’s)
Packing down pants to take the chill off the coldest nights is a favorite strategy of Jake Stern, Outside Magazine’s digital editor.
—Adam Roy, Outside Online, 22 Jan. 2025
Remove the meat from the refrigerator to take the chill off.
—Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 31 Jan. 2023
Kreutzer’s film is beautiful in ways that rarely take the chill off the central character.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2023
Patio heaters take the chill off, but they are not designed to provide indoor levels of comfort.
—Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, 22 Nov. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Take the chill off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20the%20chill%20off. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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