calm
1 being calm 2 becoming calm 3 not being calm see also QUIET
1 being calm ※ calm people - if you are quiet and do not get excited, you are calm (adverb calmly) Try to keep calm - there's no need to panic. ◎ The Prime Minister took the news of his defeat calmly. - if you are calm and you have your feelings under control, you are composed, cool; nouns (U): composure, coolness the ability to keep cool in a crisis ◎ He showed great composure in a difficult situation. - if you stay calm in a difficult situation you keep* your head, keep* your cool, stay cool When the tyre burst, Ingrid kept her head and managed to steer to the side of the road. ◎ Don't panic! Stay cool! - if you are not worried, you are relaxed, (informal) laid-back She's looking much more relaxed now after her holiday. ◎ a laid-back attitude to life ※ calm places and situations - if there is no noise or unpleasant disturbance, a place is calm, quiet, peaceful; nouns (U): calm, peacefulness The city is calm again after last night's riots. ◎ We camped in a peaceful spot beside the lake. ◎ the calm of a summer evening - (used about the sea) with no big waves: calm - (used about the weather) with no wind: calm a calm day
2 becoming calm - to become calm after a period of excitement, anger, etc: calm (down), cool down, quieten (down) When I explained what had actually happened she soon calmed down. ◎ Cool down! What are you so angry about? ◎ Quieten down, everyone! - to cause sb/sth to become calm: calm sb/sth (down), quieten sb/sth, soothe sb/sth, pacify sb/sth I tried to calm him down but he was furious. ◎ to soothe a crying child - something which helps sb/sth to become calm is calming, soothing The ticking of the clock had a calming effect on the baby. ◎ a soothing voice - a thing that gives a relaxed, peaceful feeling is restful quiet, restful music - to become less worried, frightened, etc: relax; to cause sb to become relaxed: relax sb I was so tense - I just couldn't relax. - to relax and not work too hard or worry: take* it/things easy After his heart attack Pete was told by his doctor to take things a bit easier. - to say or do sth to make sb/sth feel less frightened, worried or nervous: reassure sb/sth; noun (U): reassurance; adjective: reassuring I tried to reassure him that everything would be all right. ◎ It was very reassuring to see the lights of home. - to calm sb down, you can say Calm down or Relax or (informal) Cool it Calm down and tell me what happened. ◎ Relax - you're home now.
3 not being calm - if you are worried or not feeling comfortable you are uneasy, nervous, tense, anxious Hannah hated flying and was feeling a bit uneasy about her trip to Hong Kong. ◎ Do you get nervous before exams? - a sudden feeling of fear that makes you do things without thinking carefully about them: panic (noun C/U); to experience panic: panic; adjectives: panic-stricken, (informal) panicky Keep calm! Don't panic! The police will be here in a minute. ◎ Her voice sounded panicky. - if you are rather angry about sth, you are irritated (about sth) He gets irritated if you keep him waiting. - feeling very happy because you are looking forward to sth happening; not calm: excited The children are getting too excited - tell them to calm down. - if you are unable to relax because you are bored, nervous or impatient you are restless; noun (U): restlessness I spent a restless night worrying about my interview. ※ causing you not to be calm AFRAID, ANGRY, EXCITED, WORRY ※ MORE ... - a drug or medicine that makes you calm or sleepy: sedative, tranquillizer
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