28 Slang Words Boomers Used to Say That Millennials Have Never Heard Of

This slang phrase might surprise you because it’s a lot older than most people think. Many of us use the phrase “simmer down” to describe someone who needs to calm down or take it down a notch. This slang makes perfect sense, when you think about it. A simmer is a low boil, which is usually on the edge of a full-on rolling boil. 

If someone’s boiling mad, we tell them to simmer down. They’re just exuding way too much energy! Some people speculate that this slang started in the mid-1800s. Yup, it’s that old. Is that why people don’t use it as much anymore? Next time you hear someone say “simmer down,” just remember that the phrase might be way more old school than that person realizes.