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2 posts tagged with "Stress management"

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Phrasal Verb - Calming Down

· 2 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Calming Down

Image uploaded to Pixabay by ELG21

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Definition​

To calm down means to become less agitated, angry, excited, or upset, or to make someone else become less agitated, angry, excited, or upset. It signifies a transition from a state of emotional intensity or high energy to a more relaxed, tranquil, and composed state. This phrasal verb can be used both intransitively (e.g., 'I need to calm down.') and transitively (e.g., 'You need to calm her down.'). It often implies a deliberate effort to regain composure, often after a period of stress, fear, anger, or over-excitement, leading to a state of emotional stability and peace.

Examples​

No.Example
1Please try to calm down; yelling won't help us solve the problem.
2After the argument, she needed a few minutes to calm down and collect her thoughts.
3The teacher gently tried to calm the children down after the loud fire alarm startled them.
4He took a series of deep breaths, attempting to calm himself down before the crucial interview.
5It took a while for the baby to calm down after waking up from a nightmare.
6The police officer asked the agitated crowd to calm down and follow instructions.
7A warm cup of herbal tea often helps me to calm down after a particularly stressful day at work.
8Can you please calm down the dog? Its incessant barking is disturbing the neighbors.
9She advised him to count to ten slowly to help calm down his sudden burst of anger.
10Just relax and calm down; there's no need to panic, everything will be fine.

Phrasal Verb - Blowing Off

· 3 min read
Raymundo CH

Image illustrating the verb Blowing Off

Image uploaded to Pixabay by ulleo

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Definition​

The phrasal verb 'blow off' has several distinct meanings, often used informally or colloquially:

  1. To deliberately fail to attend an appointment, meeting, or social engagement; to ignore or avoid someone or something. This implies a conscious decision to not participate, often demonstrating a lack of respect for the other party or the commitment. It suggests a casual dismissal of an obligation. Example: He completely blew off our lunch appointment without even calling.

  2. To dismiss, disregard, or treat something as unimportant or not worth serious consideration. This can apply to advice, warnings, responsibilities, suggestions, or criticisms, often leading to negative consequences if the dismissed item was indeed important. Example: She tends to blow off constructive criticism, which isn't always beneficial for her growth.

  3. To release pent-up energy, anger, frustration, or stress. This is often used reflexively as 'blow off steam' or simply 'blow off' when referring to the need to expel negative emotions or excess energy in a harmless or recreational way. Example: After a particularly tough week, I need to go to the gym to blow off some steam.

  4. To defeat an opponent easily in a competition. While 'blow out' is more commonly used for this specific meaning, 'blow off' can sometimes be employed informally to convey an overwhelming or effortless victory against an opposing team or individual. Example: Our team surprisingly blew off the championship contenders in the first round.

  5. To cause something to be removed or detached by force of air or an explosion. This is a more literal application of 'blow' combined with 'off', signifying something being dislodged or separated due to powerful air currents or an explosive force. Example: The strong hurricane winds threatened to blow off parts of the building's roof.

Examples​

No.Example
1He completely blew off our team meeting, claiming he forgot about it.
2Don't just blow off his warnings; they might save you a lot of trouble later.
3After a stressful exam, I always try to go for a long walk to blow off some steam.
4She's notorious for blowing off social plans at the last minute if something better comes along.
5The manager had a tendency to blow off employee suggestions, which led to low morale.
6We expected a tough opponent, but our star player managed to blow off the competition with ease.
7If you keep blowing off your responsibilities, you'll never achieve your goals.
8The safety valve was designed to blow off excess pressure and prevent an explosion.
9He tried to apologize, but she just blew him off, still too angry to listen.
10Let's go to the arcade and blow off some energy after sitting in lectures all day.