“Breaking the ice” means easing tension or starting a conversation—but the phrase began with ships, not small talk.

In colder regions, icebreakers were sent ahead of cargo ships to clear frozen waters and get trade moving again. The idea of clearing a path soon became a metaphor for social situations: someone makes the first move, and conversation starts to flow.

Even Shakespeare used the phrase this way in The Taming of the Shrew. By the 19th century, “breaking the ice” was a common way to describe melting social awkwardness with a well-timed word or gesture.