IdiomNature
English
EnglishTo break the ice
Meaning: To ease the initial tension in a social situation.
Example: “The host broke the ice with a silly game about everyone's worst haircut.”
Origin: Ships once needed icebreakers to open frozen trade routes; the figurative use dates to the 16th century.
More English idioms
- To throw a spanner in the works To sabotage or disrupt a plan.
- A skeleton in the closet A shameful secret kept hidden.
- To read the riot act To reprimand someone sternly.
- To pull out all the stops To make every possible effort.
- To have egg on your face To look foolish or embarrassed.
- To jump on the bandwagon To join something only once it becomes popular.
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
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