become quiet or calm, especially after a state of agitation - After the fight both men need to cool off. - It took a while after the baby was born for things to settle down again. • Syn: calm, calm down, cool off, chill out, simmer down, settle down • Derivationally related forms: calm (for: calm) • Hypernyms: change state, turn • Verb Frames: - Something ----s - Somebody ----s