cooler

(kū'lər)
n.

1. A device, container, or room that cools or keeps cool.
2. A cold drink, often a mixture of white wine and juice.
3. Slang. A jail.

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A device that draws heat away from a CPU chip and other hot-running chips such as a graphics processor (GPU). The simplest type of cooler is a heat sink, which is a metal cover glued to the chip that provides a larger surface area for heat dissipation. Even more effective is a CPU fan because it forces the hot air away from the chip. It is often used in conjunction with a heat sink. Water-cooled systems and heat pipe coolers provide more esoteric solutions (see heat pipe). Refrigeration systems are also used to cool down the CPU and other hot chips (see below). See notebook cooler.

Heat Sink

The simplest cooler is an aluminum heat sink, which uses fins to provide the maximum cooling surface for making contact with the air.

Fans and Heat Sinks Together

This Chip Coolers fan sits on top of a heat sink to cool a hot-running CPU chip. Fans and heat sinks are widely used in combination. (Image courtesy of Tyco International, Ltd.)

Water Cooled

For years, water systems cooled large mainframes, but the Zalman Reserator 1 (www.zalmanusa.com) is used here to make a quiet PC. By taking the heat directly from the chips, a quieter case fan can be used. Water is pumped in a closed loop from the external radiator (blue) to the CPU and then to the GPU on the display adapter. The tube runs around the front of the case to a flow indicator.

Built Into a Graphics Card

This PNY graphics card comes with its own cooling system that also cools the CPU. The radiator and fan (left) cool the water coming from the card, and the center unit is placed over the CPU. (Image courtesy of PNY Technologies, www.pny.com)

A Lot Colder

Below this tower case is a phase change cooler that uses a refrigeration unit to create subzero temperatures. For more details, see phase change cooler. (Image courtesy of Cooler Express International Technology Co., www.coolerexpress.com.tw)

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noun

A place for the confinement of persons in lawful detention: brig, house of correction, jail, keep, penitentiary, prison. Informal lockup, pen. Slang big house, can, clink, coop, hoosegow, joint, jug, pokey, slammer, stir. Chiefly Regional calaboose. See free/unfree.

1. A thermally insulated enclosure, kept at a reduced temperature by means of refrigeration.
2. An air conditioner.

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n. jail. (Usually with the.)  Do you want to talk, or do you want to spend a little time in the cooler?

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noun
noun, orig US

A prison or prison cell. (1884 —) .
C. Dickson I am not at a time of life when one enjoys being chucked in the cooler for telling truths (1943).

Previous:	cool, cookie-pusher, cookie-duster
Next:	coon, cootie, cop

For a list of words related to cooler, see:

• Utensils and Appliances - cooler: usu. insulated container for keeping foods cold
• Glassware - cooler: tall, narrow, iced drink glass
• Mixed Drinks - cooler: wine or other spirits, fruit juice, and carbonated water
• Prison and Punishment - cooler: Slang. jail

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See words rhyming with "cooler."

Dansk (Danish)
n. - køler, køleskab, svaledrik, fængselscelle, dæmper

Nederlands (Dutch)
bajes, koele (alcoholische) drank, koeler, koelkast

Français (French)
n. - (Tech) refroidisseur, (Ind) réfrigérant, taule (arg)

Deutsch (German)
n. - Kühler, (Slang) Gefängnis

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - ψύκτης, υδροψύκτης, (καθομ.) φυλακή

Italiano (Italian)
gattabuia, frigo portatile

Português (Portuguese)
n. - refresco (m), cadeia (f) (gír.)

Русский (Russian)
тюряга, карцер

Español (Spanish)
n. - chirona, gayola, bebedero

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - kylare, kylfat, kylväska (am.), kylmedel, kall drink

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
冷却器

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 冷卻器

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 냉방 장치, 청량 음료, 교도소

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 冷却器, 清涼飲料, クーラー

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) مبردة, سجن, حبس‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮משקה מיין וסודה, כלי-קירור, מקרר, בית-סוהר‬

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