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cool one's heels

To wait for a long time: “The doctor kept her cooling her heels for almost an hour.”

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Idioms and Phrases

Wait or be kept waiting, as in I've been cooling my heels in the doctor's waiting room for at least an hour. This term originally meant to cool one's feet when they become hot from walking, and began to be used ironically for being forced to rest (or wait) in the early 1600s.

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cool off cool out

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