Way With Words: Break the Ice

Today, the phrase ‘break the ice’ is used to describe a social or business situation where the parties involved are strangers, and 'icebreakers' are needed to ease a bit of the initial tension. Most of the time, 'icebreakers' are games, questions or statements, and a lot of the time humor is involved.

The origin of the phrase is generally believed to stem from the 1800’s, before planes, trains and cars really took off, when steam-powered ships were the go-to transportation for port cities.

The steam powered ‘icebreaker’ ships, with powerful engines and thick hulls, were tasked with doing just what their name implies, thus opening up channels of communication and commerce.

In modern society, jokes, games and questions have become the metaphorical “icebreaker ships” navigating the frosty waters of social tension.

Now that we've broken the ice for our new November feature, feel free to use this fun fact the next time your at a loss for a conversation starter.