Article: That's a real icebreaker!(Say What? exploring the origins of words and sayings)(history of phrase 'break the ice')

In a tense or formal situation, such as when meeting new people, we often look for ways to "break the ice," or start a conversation so that people can feel at ease. The origin of this phrase dates back to early polar exploration days and the start of the spring shipping season. Until the mid-1800s, ships were made of wood. go experienced explorers sailing frozen waters reinforced their ships' hulls with iron to increase their chances of successfully breaking through the ice. If ...

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