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Just as working hard and earning more money is a must, relaxing is also essential. Going to trips, visiting a spa or a salon, or engaging in a favorite pastime are just a few ways of treating one's self. Indulge yourself and free your mind from stressors with slang expressions for relaxation below.
Slang Words for Relax (in Alphabetical Order)
Chillax
Meaning:
- (Verb) A slang portmanteau of “chill” and “relax”.
- Example: The newly opened bar promised customers that they can chillax with the fine dining and atmosphere.
Count Sheep
Meaning:
- (Verb) A mental trick that helps one’s mind relax before sleeping. This is to imagine sheep jumping over a fence and counting them one by one.
- Example: If music doesn’t help set the mood for sleeping, try counting sheep.
Cut Someone Slack
Meaning:
- (Verb) A modern slang that chides someone for overdoing things.
- Example: Cut Rose some slack. She’s been staying up late two nights in a row. Let her sleep soundly tonight.
Hit the Hay
Meaning:
- (Verb) To relax by sleeping.
- Example: Johnny hit the hay while it was snowing outside.
Hold Your Horses
Meaning:
- (Verb) To press pause for a while for whatever it is one is doing.
- Example: Hold your horses and breathe deeply before you do your plans. Maybe this is the season of waiting.
Horse Around
Meaning:
- (Verb) To relax by being boisterous around everyone.
- Example: Leslie wants to be around her huge group of friends. After having a hearty meal, she horses around with them.
Keep One's Shirt On
Meaning:
- (Verb) Just like how physical sports feature an ardent display of bodies for the anticipated game, to keep one’s shirt on is to prevent someone from losing their temper and marching to the fight zone..
- Example: Justin, keep your shirt on. We don’t want another detention.
Let Your Hair Down
Meaning:
- (Noun) Because tying up hair enables girls to focus more on the task at hand, letting it down means to take things less seriously.
- Example: Let your hair down once in a while or else the adults will only expect the best from you.
Netflix and Chill
Meaning:
- (Verb) A millennial slang for relaxing using a video streaming service. This is widely known to lead to sex afterwards.
- Example: Dustin asked his girlfriend to Netflix and chill with him.
Simmer Down
Meaning:
- (Verb) Based on lowering high heat to low heat when cooking, to simmer down is to cool down from a heated situation.
- Example: Cris’ agitation finally simmered down when his runaway son came back.
Take a Chill Pill
Meaning:
- (Verb) To remind someone to breathe and relax.
- Example: Elena is so stressed about the exam results that Jeremy told her to take a chill pill.
Take It Easy
Meaning:
- (Verb) To do tasks without minding too much about metrics, grades, or other pressures on output or performance.
- Example: Take it easy. I’m sure the waiter will come with your order any moment.
Twiddle Thumbs
Meaning:
- (Verb) To interlock one’s fingers together while waiting or doing nothing.
- Example: Don’t trade your twiddle thumbs hours for overtime workloads. It’s just not worth it.
Veg Out
Meaning:
- (Verb) An Australian slang for relaxing on one’s terms.
- Example: Cassie is vegging out by staying in the library all day.
Wind Down
Meaning:
- (Verb) To relax and take some rest usually on a set period of time.
- Example: Mike is winding down during break time by playing mobile games.