Idioms About Ice
Ice cubes in your drink, a winter wonderland, or that cool feeling when you meet someone new – ice has many connotations. But did you know it also pops up in a surprising number of idioms in the English language? Let’s break the ice and explore these cool expressions to add some flavor to your conversations.
List of Ice Idioms
- Break the ice
- On thin ice
- Cut no ice
- Skate on thin ice
- Ice queen
- Tip of the iceberg
- Go over like a lead balloon
- Ice water in one’s veins
- Ice over
- Break the ice with someone
- Cold shoulder
- Leave someone out in the cold
- Ice out
- As cold as ice
- Ice up
- Ice-cold
- Have ice in one’s veins
- Keep something on ice
- Cut ice
- Ice it
- Put something on ice
- Icing on the cake
- Not a snowball’s chance in hell
Ice Idioms with Meaning and Examples
Break the ice
- Meaning: To initiate or start a conversation or interaction in a social setting.
- Example: She told a joke to break the ice at the party.
On thin ice
- Meaning: In a risky or precarious situation.
- Example: After missing several deadlines, he knew he was on thin ice with his boss.
Cut no ice
- Meaning: To have no influence or effect.
- Example: His excuses cut no ice with the teacher; he still received a failing grade.
Skate on thin ice
- Meaning: To engage in risky behavior or actions that could lead to trouble.
- Example: By lying on his resume, he was skating on thin ice with the hiring manager.
Ice queen
- Meaning: A cold and aloof woman who shows little emotion.
- Example: She’s known as the ice queen around the office because she rarely smiles or engages in small talk.
Tip of the iceberg
- Meaning: A small, visible part of a larger problem or issue.
- Example: The financial losses were just the tip of the iceberg; deeper issues were uncovered during the audit.
Go over like a lead balloon
- Meaning: To be received very poorly or fail miserably.
- Example: His idea to raise prices went over like a lead balloon with the customers.
Ice water in one’s veins
- Meaning: To be extremely calm and composed, especially in stressful situations.
- Example: Despite the chaos around her, she remained as calm as ice water in her veins.
Ice over
- Meaning: To become covered or coated with ice.
- Example: The roads started to ice over, making driving conditions hazardous.
Break the ice with someone
- Meaning: To initiate conversation or interaction with someone in order to make them feel more comfortable.
- Example: She brought up their shared interest in music to break the ice with her new coworker.
Cold shoulder
- Meaning: To intentionally ignore or snub someone.
- Example: After their argument, she gave him the cold shoulder for days.
Leave someone out in the cold
- Meaning: To exclude or neglect someone, leaving them feeling isolated or abandoned.
- Example: The team decided to leave him out in the cold when planning the project.
Ice out
- Meaning: To cause someone or something to be excluded or marginalized.
- Example: He felt like he was iced out of the group after they stopped inviting him to their gatherings.
As cold as ice
- Meaning: Completely lacking warmth or emotion.
- Example: Her glare was as cold as ice when she caught him in a lie.
Ice up
- Meaning: To become covered or blocked by ice.
- Example: The pipes ice up during the winter if they’re not properly insulated.
Ice-cold
- Meaning: Extremely cold, both literally and metaphorically.
- Example: The wind was ice-cold as it blew through the streets of the city.
Have ice in one’s veins
- Meaning: To be emotionally cold and unfeeling.
- Example: Despite her tragic loss, she seemed to have ice in her veins, showing no outward emotion.
Keep something on ice
- Meaning: To delay or postpone something.
- Example: The project was kept on ice until they secured additional funding.
Cut ice
- Meaning: To have an impact or influence.
- Example: His argument didn’t cut any ice with the jury; they found him guilty regardless.
Ice it
- Meaning: To stop or prevent something from happening.
- Example: His quick thinking helped ice the deal before the competitors could make their offer.
Put something on ice
- Meaning: To postpone or delay something.
- Example: They decided to put the project on ice until they could secure more funding.
Icing on the cake
- Meaning: Something additional that makes a good situation even better.
- Example: Winning the lottery was the icing on the cake after getting a promotion.
Not a snowball’s chance in hell
- Meaning: No possibility of success.
- Example: With his lack of experience, he had not a snowball’s chance in hell of winning the competition.
So next time you’re looking for a way to add some color to your conversations, reach for an ice idiom! They’re sure to be a cool addition to your communication toolbox.
