• burgersc12
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    518 hours ago

    Breaking the ice is cutting through the awkwardness of getting to know a new person, but that doesn’t seem to be the situation here…

    • @[email protected]OPM
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      113 hours ago

      It definitely has that specific meaning, but can be more general (at least IMO, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid if someone used this sense with me):

      To do something as a means of reducing or eliminating shyness, awkward tension, or unfamiliarity.

      Everyone was deathly silent after John went ballistic and left the meeting. I tried breaking the ice with a joke, but it didn’t help.