to shoot the breeze
to chat casually
TRANSLATION
shoot the breeze = (gemütlich) mit jdm. plaudern; quatschen; belanglos reden; schnacken
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
“Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw are back together, diving into the music stories that are getting people talking. Join Annie and Nick each week as they SHOOT THE BREEZE about the world of music with the help of artists, friends, industry experts, and listeners.”
Lorna Clarke — BBC Director of Music (21st September 2023)
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“But, the critics hit back, none of that lends itself to an atmosphere where people will want to sit back, relax, and SHOOT THE BREEZE. ‘People may feel like they have to self-censor when having a chat at restaurants or bars because, who knows who may be listening. They may as well stay home for the same chat where they feel safe’, said Benson Wong, one of the hundreds of thousands who have left Hong Kong."
Chris Lau — CNN (3rd November 2023)
Did you
know?
shoot the breeze
idiom
- to talk in a relaxed way about things that are not important
Cambridge Idioms Dictionary
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PHRASE ORIGIN
“Shoot the breeze” is of late 19th century American English origin. The word "shoot" in this context doesn't refer to firing a gun, but rather the idea of "sending" or "propelling" something.
The "breeze" part of the phrase refers to casual, informal conversation - the verbal equivalent of a gentle breeze blowing.
Over time, "shoot the breeze" became a common idiomatic expression to describe the act of passing the time through friendly, undemanding conversation. It evokes the image of people casually conversing, with the words "shooting" through the open air like a gentle breeze.
The metaphorical nature of the phrase - using the active verb "shoot" to describe the passive act of chatting - reflects the broader American English tendency to use lively, ebullient language to describe mundane activities.
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SOME OTHER BREEZES
Apart from the usual sense of a light wind, "breeze" is also used in a figurative sense to describe doing something quickly or casually. These situations are usually expressed using prepositional phrases:
- breeze along = to travel along casually, rapidly, and happily (I was breezing along the street when suddenly it started to rain)
- breeze away = to leave quickly and abruptly (She just breezed away and didn’t say goodbye)
- breeze through = to complete a task quickly and easily (I breezed through the test)
- breeze in (into) = to enter a place quickly and in a carefree manner (He breezed into the room just as the meeting began)
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SYNONYMS
babble, babble on, banter, blab, blabber, blather, chaffer, chat, chatter, chew the fat (the rag), chin, chinwag, chitchat, confab, converse (lightly), exchange pleasantries, flap one's gums, gab, gabble, gas, have a natter, idle chat, jaw, kibitz, make small talk, natter, palaver, parley, patter, prate, prattle, rap, schmooze, SHOOT THE BREEZE, small talk, social chatter, swap/trade stories, talk casually, tittle-tattle, tongue-wagging, twitter, while away the time, yack, yacking
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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:
“It’s been a busy week. I’m looking forward to SHOOTING THE BREEZE in the garden with friends over the weekend.”
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THANKS to Fridolin for suggesting today’s OWAD.
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