keep one's cool

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keep one's cool

1. (idiomatic) To remain composed, calm, and even-tempered, especially in a provocative situation.
   • 1990, Michael Martinez, "THE PLAYOFFS: By the Way, Stewart Leads A's Into Series," New York Times, 11 Oct. (retrieved 3 June 2009):

     In the heat of the afternoon, while Roger Clemens threw a temper tantrum and the Boston Red Sox became unraveled, Dave Stewart kept his cool.

   • 2009, Kevin Purdy and Lukas Alpert, "‘The Next Thing I Knew the Ceiling Was on Me’," New York Post, 4 June (retrieved 3 June 2009):

     Fighting back panic, she tried to keep her cool and find a way out from under the rubble.

• keep a cool head
• have one's wits about one

• blow one's cool
• lose one's cool