🗓️ Idiom: Let Off Steam (verb)
💬 Meaning
- To release strong emotions like anger or stress in a safe or controlled way.
- To do something active to feel calmer and more relaxed.
🧠 Example Sentences
- After a long week at work, Julia went for a run to let off steam.
- The manager arranged a team dinner so everyone could relax and let off steam after the busy project.
- He shouted during the meeting, but he was just letting off steam after a stressful day.
🏛️ Origin
This idiom comes from steam engines in the 1800s. When pressure built up inside the engine, steam was released through a valve to stop it from exploding. People later used this image to describe releasing emotional pressure in a healthy way.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
After the presentation, the team went bowling to ________ and have some fun.
Answer
let off steam
2. Choose the correct answer:
What does “let off steam” mean?
a) Build up more stress
b) Release tension or emotions
c) Work harder than usual
Answer
b) Release tension or emotions
3. Change the sentence using “let off steam”:
“She went to the gym to reduce her stress after work.”
Answer
She went to the gym to let off steam after work.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
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👉 Stress Management Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
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Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
