To be on thin ice
Example: He is on thin ice after missing the important meeting.
Definition
"To be on thin ice" means to be in a risky or precarious situation where one is close to encountering trouble or negative consequences, often due to previous mistakes or behavior. For example, someone might be on thin ice after missing an important meeting.
Etymology
The phrase "to be on thin ice" originates from the literal danger of walking on ice that is not thick enough to support weight, symbolizing a risky or unstable situation. It has been used figuratively since at least the 17th century to describe precarious circumstances.
Learn to use this expression actively
"To be on thin ice" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - General - Idioms and Proverbs - (C2) - set 1", containing 106 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select English as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
