1.
to cool something down; to let the heat dissipate
To reduce the temperature of something, such as food, a fever, or a heated situation.
氷で熱を冷ます。
Cool down the fever with ice.
スープの熱を冷ましてから飲んでください。
Please let the soup cool down before drinking it.
子供が熱を出したので、おでこを冷やして熱を冷ました。
The child had a fever, so I cooled their forehead to bring it down.
2.
to dampen enthusiasm; to pour cold water on; to cool someone's passion
To reduce or extinguish someone's excitement, interest, or enthusiasm. Often used when something ruins the mood or kills motivation.
その一言が彼の熱を冷ました。
That one remark dampened his enthusiasm.
ファンの熱を冷ますような発言をしてしまった。
He made a remark that dampened the fans' enthusiasm.
せっかく盛り上がっていたのに、雨が降り出して熱が冷めてしまった。
Just when things were getting exciting, the rain started and killed the mood.
Uses the intransitive 冷める rather than the transitive 冷ます.
GRAMMAR:
冷ます is transitive (someone cools something). The intransitive form is 熱が冷める (the heat/enthusiasm cools on its own).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 熱を冷ます (to cool down heat/enthusiasm)
- 熱が冷める (for heat/enthusiasm to cool)
- 頭を冷やす (to cool one's head = to calm down — different expression)
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 水を差す: to pour cold water on — to spoil the mood
- 興ざめする: to lose interest — describes the result of losing enthusiasm
- 頭を冷やす: to cool one's head — to calm down and think rationally