🗓️ Idiom: Break the Ice (v)
💬 Meaning
- To do or say something to relieve tension or get a conversation started in a social or professional setting.
- It helps people feel more comfortable and encourages interaction, especially when they first meet.
🧠 Example Sentences
- The team-building activity helped break the ice at the start of the workshop.
- He told a funny story to break the ice during his presentation.
- Offering coffee and snacks is a great way to break the ice at networking events.
🏛️ Origin
The idiom “break the ice” comes from early navigation and shipping. In winter, ships would often get stuck in frozen harbors or waterways. Smaller, stronger boats, known as “icebreakers,” would literally “break the ice” to clear a path for other vessels to move.
📝 Practice Exercises
1. Fill in the blank:
The manager told a joke at the start of the meeting to __________.
Answer
break the ice
2. Choose the correct meaning of “break the ice”:
A) To ruin a first impression
B) To start a difficult conversation
C) To make people feel more comfortable at the beginning
Answer
C) To make people feel more comfortable at the beginning
3. Change the sentence using: Break the Ice:
“She tried to make everyone feel more relaxed at the start of the meeting.”
Answer
She tried to break the ice at the start of the meeting.
ℹ️ Other Useful Pages
👉 Relationships and Networking Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
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Rob is a CELTA qualified English teacher with 15 years of international experience. He has a BSc and PGDip from Loughborough and St Andrews universities in the UK. He has taught in Thailand and Saudi Arabia and now works with professionals worldwide.
