sangfroid
sangfroid — noun
1. The quality of being able to remain clear-headed and calm when facing danger, su
The quality of being able to remain clear-headed and calm when facing danger, sudden stress, or serious difficulty — for example, a pilot whose sangfroid saves passengers during an engine failure, or a negotiator who stays steady while a situation escalates.
During the fire, the fire chief maintained his sangfroid and evacuated everyone safely.
maintain + sangfroid during an emergency
When the market crashed, Mei kept her sangfroid and waited for recovery instead of panicking.
keep + sangfroid under financial pressure
Asher showed remarkable sangfroid on stage, speaking clearly to an audience of hundreds.
Vinícius handled the sudden bleeding with complete sangfroid, calmly directing the other nurses.
Nia never lost her sangfroid during the hostage negotiation, even when the gunman began shouting.
- composure
more common, everyday term for emotional control; sangfroid adds the nuance of danger
- aplomb
close synonym, also French-derived; aplomb stresses graceful confidence, sangfroid stresses cool-headedness under threat
- poise
suggests dignified self-assurance, not necessarily in a dangerous situation
- equanimity
emphasises mental evenness during difficulty; more about inner balance than visible control
文法句型
uncountable noun — no article
用法筆記
Uncountable noun — never used as 'a sangfroid' or 'sangfroids'. The word comes from French sang (blood) + froid (cold); it refers to the same quality of cool-headedness as 'composure', but carries a stronger sense of nerve under real danger. Not related to the phrase 'in cold blood', which describes deliberate cruelty.