Idiom
Break the ice
To break the ice is to say or do something that eases tension and helps people start talking, especially when they first meet.
How people use it
People break the ice at parties, first dates, meetings, new classes and team events, often with a joke, a question or a simple game. An activity designed for this is called an icebreaker. It is neutral and very common. You can break the ice with someone or break the ice at an event. The phrase is about social awkwardness, not actual ice, though people sometimes joke about it in winter.
Examples
- Ana tried to break the ice at the team lunch by asking about everyone's worst summer job.
- A silly name game helped break the ice on the first day of class.
- Ben was nervous at the party until a friendly dog helped him break the ice.
Where it comes from
The phrase probably comes from breaking a frozen surface to clear a path for boats, which made it mean preparing the way or making a start. Shakespeare used break the ice in that sense in The Taming of the Shrew in the 1590s. The modern meaning of easing social awkwardness grew from the idea of getting past a cold, stiff beginning.
Check yourself
1. A teacher starts the first class with a funny question. Why?
Answer: To break the ice. Breaking the ice means helping people relax and start talking.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: Omar told a joke to break the ice at the meeting.. Breaking the ice means easing awkwardness, which a joke can do.
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