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.
