break the ice
Pronunciation
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Pronunciation
- (America, British) IPA: /ˈbɹeɪk ði ˈaɪs/
break the ice
- Used other than with a figurative or idiomatic meaning: see break, the, ice
- (idiomatic) To start to get to know people to avoid social awkwardness and formality.
- Including a few fun details in large group introductions can be a great way to break the ice.
- (idiomatic) To introduce conversation.
- 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act I, Scene II:
- If it be so, sir, that you are the man must stead us all, and me amongst the rest, and if you break the ice and do this feat, achieve the elder, set the younger free for our access, whose hap shall be to have her will not so graceless be to be ingrate. — Tranio (as Lucentio)
- 1592, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act I, Scene II:
- To surmount initial difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning.
- French: briser la glace
- German: das Eis brechen
- Italian: rompere il ghiaccio
- Portuguese: quebrar o gelo
- Russian: сде́лать пе́рвый шаг
- Spanish: romper el hielo
This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.003