chill pill
chill pill
Meaning | Synonyms
- something that has a relaxing outcome
- an imaginary pill with calming and soothing effect
- a medication used to relax someone
Example Sentences
- Can someone please tell Matthew to take a chill pill? We will be on time for the party.
- Ally needs to take a chill pill. This flight is perfectly safe and she is causing a scene.
- Mom, you need to take a chill pill. I know that I failed the test but I will make it up next time.
- The politician stated that her critics need to take a chill pill.
- Take a chill pill brother. I will return your car safely tomorrow without a scratch on it.
Origin
This is a colloquialism used when somebody is very worked up. It is not related to taking any sort of pill but rather the act of calming down.
The term was first used in the 1800s when describing a pill that was meant to fight off the chills that were associated with a high fever. It contained quinine, cinchona extract, and black pepper oil.
This has very little relation to the “chill pills” of the 1980s. These were prescribed to over boisterous children who were believed to suffer from ADHD. It is believed by some that the two are related in some way, but it might be a stretch of the imagination. The term “chill out” became popular after 1979. Today it is used in order to tell somebody to calm down.