English idiom · neutral · spoken & written · BrE & AmE
break the ice: meaning and examples
break the ice means make people feel more relaxed when they first meet.
Aprende la expresión como una unidad fija y observa la preposición y la forma verbal en los ejemplos.
این عبارت را بهصورت یک واحد ثابت یاد بگیرید و به حرف اضافه و شکل فعل در مثالها توجه کنید.
Lerne die Wendung als feste Einheit und achte in den Beispielen auf Präposition und Verbform.
Apprenez l’expression comme une unité fixe et observez la préposition et la forme verbale dans les exemples.
Memory hook: Build a clear mental picture from “break the ice” and connect it to this meaning: make people feel more relaxed when they first meet.
How to use “break the ice”
- A simple question helped break the ice.
- He told a joke to break the ice.
Common mistake: Treat “break the ice” as a fixed expression. Notice its exact word order in the examples.
Learn it in context
This expression belongs to Lesson 5, where you can compare it with other idioms about relationships and practise it interactively.
Open the full lesson →