What does it mean thin ice?

See synonyms for on thin ice on Thesaurus.com. In a precarious or risky position, as in After failing the midterm, he was on thin ice with his math teacher. This metaphor is often rounded out as skate on thin ice, as in He knew he was skating on thin ice when he took his rent money with him to the racetrack.

Where does the expression on thin ice come from?

This idiom is one that originated from Holland, now known as Netherlands. Skating originated from there and skating on thin ice was a phrase commonly used especially when seas/rivers/streams freeze during the winter and then people skate over them.

Is on thin ice a idiom?

Meaning: To be in a risky or potentially dangerous situation. Examples: I'm on thin ice with my boss because I've been late two days in a row.

What to do when you're on thin ice?

What happens when you fall through thin ice?

Falling through ice can induce a cold shock response, where you gasp as you fall and accidentally inhale water. The panic can also cause you to hyperventilate, which can lead to unconsciousness. In both instances, drowning is a real possibility and can happen within minutes.

English in a Minute: Skating on Thin Ice

How do you get across thin ice?

Swim toward the spot you fell in, get your hands and arms on the ice, and kick vigorously with your feet. Use your ice claws or ice axe to gain traction. Pull yourself onto the surface, lie down, and roll away from the weak ice.

What is another word for precariously?

Some common synonyms of precarious are dangerous, hazardous, perilous, and risky. While all these words mean "bringing or involving the chance of loss or injury," precarious suggests both insecurity and uncertainty.

How do you use walking on thin ice in a sentence?

— If you keep arriving late to work, soon you'll be skating on thin ice. — Since I stopped studying on weekends I've been walking on thin ice. — I'm always on thin ice with my mother-in-law and I have no idea why.

What does it mean to be on ice?

In reserve or readiness. This idiom often occurs with put, meaning “to place in reserve,” as in Let's put that proposal on ice until we have the funds to implement it. This usage alludes to putting things in cold storage for preservation. [ Slang; late 1800s]

What does breaking the ice mean?

To remove the tension at a first meeting, at the opening of a party, etc.: “That joke really broke the ice at the conference; we all relaxed afterward.”

What does tip of the iceberg mean?

Definition of the tip of the iceberg

: a small part of something (such as a problem) that is seen or known about when there is a much larger part that is not seen or known about The news is shocking, but we may find out that the stories we've heard so far are just the tip of the iceberg.

What figurative language is this you are skating on thin ice?

Skating on thin ice is an idiom used to describe when someone is doing something risky or dangerous. Skating on thin ice may also be used to mean that someone is engaging in behavior that will cause him trouble.

What are examples of idioms?

What does frigid mean?

Definition of frigid

1a : intensely cold frigid water. b : lacking warmth or ardor : indifferent had an emotionally frigid father. 2 : lacking imaginative qualities : insipid writing precise and frigid poetry. 3a : abnormally averse to sexual intercourse —used especially of women.

What does precarious mean in the Bible?

adjective. dependent on circumstances beyond one's control; uncertain; insecure: a precarious livelihood. dependent on the will or pleasure of another; liable to be withdrawn or lost at the will of another: He held a precarious tenure under an arbitrary administration.

What does facial grimacing mean?

: a facial expression usually of disgust, disapproval, or pain a grimace of hate and rage.

What does it mean to walk on thin ice?

In a precarious or risky position, as in After failing the midterm, he was on thin ice with his math teacher. This metaphor is often rounded out as skate on thin ice, as in He knew he was skating on thin ice when he took his rent money with him to the racetrack.

What is a leery?

Definition of leery

: suspicious, wary —often used with of leery of strangersShe seemed a little leery of the proposal.

Why do I feel like I'm walking on eggshells in my relationship?

If you're walking on eggshells in your romantic relationship, it's because you're afraid of the response that your partner is going to have in situations. They are unstable in their moods and behavior, similar to how eggshells are fragile and unpredictable.

What happens if you fall into a frozen lake?

When you hit freezing-cold water, the first thing you experience is known as the “cold shock response.” You involuntarily gasp for breath and begin to hyperventilate. This increased rate of breathing puts you at greater risk for drowning, especially if you panic.

How long can you survive under ice?

Once that response goes away, you're fine…for awhile. Generally, a person can survive in 41-degree F (5-degree C) water for 10, 15 or 20 minutes before the muscles get weak, you lose coordination and strength, which happens because the blood moves away from the extremities and toward the center, or core, of the body.

How do you tell if it's safe to walk on a frozen lake?

When is it safe to walk on a frozen lake? As a general rule of thumb, ice is safe to walk on when there is 4 inches or more of clear ice. It is important to understand that different types of ice varying in their strength. Clear blue or black ice is the strongest.

How can you tell if ice is thin?

The Department of Natural Resources recommends 4 inches for walkers, 5 inches for ATVs or snowmobiles, 8-12 inches for cars and small trucks and 12-15 inches for larger trucks. To check thickness, measure the ice every foot or two as you walk out onto the lake — or check on conditions with a local bait shop.