cool

Used in familiar language, in England and in the United States, in the sense of impudent. Punch gives a dialogue between the years 1845 and 1846, which is a good illustration of this word.

1846. "Come, answer me, answer me, old Forty-Five,

As an old man a young should answer;

I've much to learn; so, while you're alive,

Just resolve me this point if you can, sir:

What's the coolest thing that you've seen Forty-Five?"

1845. "Why, Peel, when he said to Commons and Peers

That the Income Tax should end in three years--

That was, p'raps, the coolest thing."

1846. "What else have you seen that was cool, Forty-Five?"

1845. "Why, Jonathan threatening that he'd annex us,

If we grumbled about his annexing Texas--

That struck me as rather cool."