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Difference between Put the chill on someone and Put the heat on someone

put the chill on someone

1. exert a depressing influence on a person:

  • Export orders are falling as the winds of war put the chill on foreign buyers.

2. (U.S. sl.) ignore a person; end social contact with smb. (also: put the freeze on someone):

  • They have put the chill on me, I presume for reasons that other types of persons are more easily dealt with.

put the heat on someone —(sl.) put pressure on a person; subject smb. to a severe cross examination (also: turn the heat on someone):

  • He told everything about the plan when they put the heat on him.