coolly

When you do or say something coolly, it's done with a calm smoothness. If your friend is struggling to get the lid off a jar, you might take it from him, tap it on the counter, and coolly unscrew the lid.

The adverb coolly is perfect for describing an easy, nonchalant way of doing things. People who act coolly are composed and certain, doing things effortlessly. You might be coolly detached from the drama going on around you, or coolly set your opponent straight when you're discussing something controversial. The Old English root of coolly is col, which means both "not warm," but also "unperturbed."

Definitions of coolly

1. adverb

   in a composed and unconcerned manner
   “without more ado Barker borrowed a knife from his brigade Major and honed it on a carborundum stone as coolly as a butcher”

   synonyms: nervelessly, nonchalantly