English QUIZ Break the ice” 14012025 Tue

 

English QUIZ

Break the ice”

14012025 Tue

Break the ice”

A familiar phrase in common usage

But it has a literary origin

What is that ?

Answer

Break the ice

Break the ice is a very common idiom in English. It means doing or saying something that makes people relax. For example, if you give a presentation to a group of strangers, you could break the ice by starting with a joke.

Shakespeare used the phrase in

The Taming of the Shrew,(1590) in the same meaning. I

, Tranio is talking about wooing another character called Katherine when he says:

“If it be so, sir, that you are the man

Must stead us all, and me amongst the rest,

And if you break the ice and do this feat,

Achieve the elder, set the younger free

For our access, whose hap shall be to have her

Will not so graceless be to be ingrate.”

(Act I, Scene II)

Tranion suggests that by getting to know Katherine’s father (‘the elder’) first, it will break the ice and make it easier to woo her. It’s also possible that Shakespeare was suggesting it would also help break through Katherine’s cold, icy character.

Greetings and Congratulations to those who sent correct answers:

M/S

Hasan Ali first Correct answer

Somasekar

Sirajuddin

Ganesa Subramaniam

Franklin Selvakumar&

Venkatesan

Thanks to M /S Raviraj,Thallath and AR Viswanaathan for participation

--They have mentioned the organ of the phrase but not the literary origin

Let us meet tomorrow by His Grace

14012025 Tue

SherfuddinP