break the ice

English

Etymology

By application of the metaphor that strangers are socially separated by ice.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹeɪk ði ˈaɪs/

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Verb

break the ice (third-person singular simple present breaks the ice, present participle breaking the ice, simple past broke the ice, past participle broken the ice)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see break,‎ the,‎ ice.
2. (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.

3. (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)

1. To surmount initial difficulties; to overcome obstacles and make a beginning.

Derived terms

• icebreaker
• shatter the ice

Translations

to start to get to know people, by avoiding awkwardness

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• Armenian: սառույցը կոտրել (saṙuycʻə kotrel)
• Catalan: rompre el glaç
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 打破僵局 (dǎpò jiāngjú), 打破冷場／打破冷场 (dǎpò lěngchǎng), 打破冷场 (dǎpò lěngchǎng), 破冰 (zh) (pòbīng)

• Czech: prolomit ledy pf
• Dutch: het ijs breken
• Finnish: keventää, vapauttaa (tunnelmaa)
• French: briser la glace (fr)
• Galician: romper o xeo
• German: das Eis brechen (de)
• Greek: σπάζω τον πάγο (spázo ton págo) (formal), σπάω τον πάγο (spáo ton págo) (informal)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hindi: बात-चीत की औपचारिकता हटाना (bāt-cīt kī aupcāriktā haṭānā)
• Italian: rompere il ghiaccio (it)
• Japanese: 口火を切る (くちびをきる, kuchibi o kiru), 言い出す (いいだす, iidasu)
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Norwegian: bryte isen
• Polish: przełamać lody pf
• Portuguese: quebrar o gelo
• Romanian: sparge gheața
• Russian: сде́лать пе́рвый шаг pf (sdélatʹ pérvyj šag), положи́ть нача́ло pf (položítʹ načálo)
• Spanish: romper el hielo (es)
• Turkish: buzları eritmek, kabuğundan çıkmak, kabuğunu kırmak
• Ukrainian: ламати лід impf (lamaty lid)
• Vietnamese: please add this translation if you can