British Slang For Relax (12 Examples!)

Whether deserved or not, the British have something of a reputation for being a bit uptight.

Broadly, of course, they’re really no more relaxed and no more uptight than any average population.

With that said, they do have more than a few slang terms for “relax” in British English, and these slang terms fit the whole spectrum of situations where you might need to say this.

Whether you’re talking about relaxing after work or asking someone to calm down, there’s a way to do it in British slang.

Let’s look at some examples.

In This Article

Chill out

First we have a staple slang term for relax in British English.

You will likely be familiar with this one where ever you are in the English-speaking world.

But it does have its very own British character and is one of the most common modern slang terms for relax in British English.

It works the same way in English as it does in most other dialects.

You could say both something such as “Can you chill out? You’re worrying me,” or “I can’t wait to chill out later.”

This particular slang term did not originate in Britain, though.

It seems to have come from the U.S. sometime in the 1970s, based simply on the idea of things chilling out and being slower.

Chillax

Another one you are likely familiar with you if you speak English, no matter where you speak it, is “chillax”.

This one is definitely falling out of use today and is not as widely used or as popular as it once was, but it will definitely still be understood. It is also still used to an extent, if largely in a semi-ironic way. “Let’s all come over to mine and just chillax tonight,” for example.

This one is very recent in origin, being a simple blending of the words “chill” and “relax”. It was first used in the early 21^st Century at the beginning of the 2000s, particularly in kid’s TV and similar mediums.

Chill your beans

This one might be a bit more confusing if you’re not from Britain.

“Chill your bean(s)”, or some slight variation of this term, is used very commonly in Britain among young people to mean “relax” and chill out.

It is certainly a lot more common among the younger people and is not something you’ll often hear adults say. “I didn’t do anything wrong, chill your bean,” for example.

This term seems to have arisen out of the phrase “cool beans”, which was popularized by the sitcom Full House that ran in the 80s and 90s.

It’s not completely clear, but the phrase certainly was not used before this time period.

Wind your neck in

This one might be considered a more roundabout way of simply saying “shut up”, but it is a quintessential piece of British slang that can mean relax.

It’s something you say to someone when they are being very persistent about a particular topic, to the point that it is annoying everyone.

“Stop going on about your problems, wind your neck in,” for example.

There are many conflicting reports as to where this term originated.

Some believe it was originally an American term—others that it was at first East End London slang.

Today it’s certainly used in the north of England as well as in London, so some argue it originated there.

It’s very difficult to say for sure.

Give it a rest

In a similar vein is the slang phrase “give it a rest”.

Again, this is generally used as a way of admonishing someone for talking about something for too long, for arguing incessantly, complaining or just generally not being calm or relaxed.

It’s again used throughout Britain, though particularly in England more than in Scotland or Wales. “I’ve had enough of you both arguing, give it a rest,” for example.

It’s hard to say with any precision where this phrase first started being used.

It could come from the more American idiom “give me a break”, which is also used in Britain.

At the same time, the inverse could be true, that the American phrase is borrowed from the British.

We simply don’t know.

Give over

One final example of a phrase like this is “give over”.

It doesn’t strictly meanly relax in every use of it, but it is effectively a way of telling someone to drop something, relax, and stop going on about it.

It’s more commonly used among older generations today, and again more in the north of England than anywhere else.

In fact, it’s really quite specifically a Yorkshire slang term.

“He has really ruined my year!”

“Oh, give over,” for example.

We have it attested in writing as far back as 1754, but we can’t really say how exactly the phrase itself came to be.

It’s simply not clear, and today its meaning has expanded beyond simply “stop” to a more general sense of telling someone to relax.

Let your hair down

Next we have a more common one throughout the English speaking world, “let your hair down”.

It is certainly well used and understood in Britain as it is in the U.S. and Australia, among other places.

The basic idea, of course, is that you let your hair “down” from a tied up position when you are relaxing.

“Let’s head to the bar after work and let our hair down,” for example.

The phrase is actually very old, dating back to at least the 17^th Century.

At that time, women would wear their hair in incredibly elaborate ways, with feathers and climbing up sometimes feet above their heads. Thus, “let your hair down” was a very literal term.

Veg out

To “veg out” is another way of saying relax in British slang.

This is again a fairly common notion throughout the English speaking world, and is a clipping of the word “vegetable” taken to alter the phrase “chill out” with the same meaning.

It is based on the idea of a vegetative state and the old-fashioned medical terminology by which such patients would be referred to.

It’s quite common throughout Britain. “I’m just going to veg out and watch TV tonight,” for example.

The phrase does not seem to have been all that common until around the 1990s.

Some think it was popularized by Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman.

Loosen up

Next we have loosen up, another very commonly used slang phrase in Britain which means to relax.

Particularly, it means to tell someone to relax because they are being uptight or agitated.

If someone is at a party and seems ill at ease or is letting something get to them, you might tell them to loosen up.

It’s a common phrase throughout Britain. “You need to loosen up, you’re getting on my nerves,” for example.

It has been in use in this sense since at least the early 20^th Century, although we can’t say for sure how much further back than that.

We cannot either say when or where it first originated, though it could be about loosening up one’s clothes, as the upper classes wore very tight and restricting clothes.

Mellow out

Mellow out is another classic example of British slang for relax.

Again, this one is by no means exclusive to Britain, but it is used throughout the British Isles, particularly by the younger generations.

It can be an imperative but it can also simply be a way of saying you are going to relax.

“I really need this holiday, will be a great chance to mellow out,” for example.

The idea of being “mellow” meaning relaxed dates back to the 1680s, when it was an English term that meant being good-humored due to being slightly drunk.

The phrase “mellow out” is more recent than that, perhaps in the last few decades.

Take it easy

Take it easy is another phrase that can have slightly different senses depending on the context.

In general, though, the sense is always that you should relax and not overburden yourself in one way or another.

The difference is that sometimes it’s simply used as a way of saying goodbye. Usually, though, in Britain, it just means to relax.

“Take it easy tonight, you’ve been working really hard lately,” for example.

The phrase meaning “relax” dates back at least to 1867. It may have been even further popularized by the Jackson Browne song “Take It Easy”, which he began writing in 1971.

Simmer down

Finally, we have simmer down, an interesting phrase with varied usage and history.

It has been in use in many parts of Britain for a very long time, and you’re likely to be understood where ever you use this phrase.

“Simmer down everyone, let’s not get too excited,” for example.

It is first attested in this sense in 1848, probably coming from cookbooks at the time using the phrase.

It was also popularized by British and Jamaican ska and reggae, with songs of the same name by bands like The Wailers and The Skatalites.

Armed with one or two of these phrases, then, you should be more than well enough equipped to tell someone to relax in British slang.

Whether you want to say it in a joking, non-serious way, or you really want someone to relax and think about their behavior, we’ve got you covered.

More in British Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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