Etymology Journal ยท C
Cool your jets
Meaning
- This is a command to slow down, calm down, or stop acting in a rush or an angry manner. It is a directive to regain your composure.
Sassy, patronizing
Used in a sentence
- Cool your jets, we still have twenty minutes before we need to leave.
- You need to cool your jets and let the boss speak before you interrupt him.
- Just cool your jets for a second, I am trying to get the map sorted.
The backstory
The phrase is a mid-20th-century invention that draws a metaphor from jet engines. You have to throttle back the fuel to keep the engine from overheating.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check