icebreaker

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   A ship designed to break through ice so that it, or other ships coming behind, can…

   A ship designed to break through ice so that it, or other ships coming behind, can navigate on frozen seas.

   • The steel hulls of ice-breakers are much thicker than those of standard vessels.
   • My father's Bonneville was cutting its way toward us like an icebreaker moving through my whole state of consciousness.
   • The Australian Antarctic Division’s chartered icebreaker the Aurora Australis on a previous mission wedged in ice in Commonwealth Bay 10 nautical miles from Mawson’s Hut in Antarctica.
2. 2

   A game, activity, humorous anecdote, etc., designed to ease tension and encourage…

   A game, activity, humorous anecdote, etc., designed to ease tension and encourage interaction among individuals in a situation where they do not know each other well.

   • The new college hallmates were awkward with each other at first, but after a game of charades as an icebreaker, they were laughing like old friends.
   • The key purpose of an icebreaker is to introduce your group members to each other and to introduce your training session topic. A well-planned icebreaker ensures that a training session will start with more involvement and focus.
3. 3

   A lively song and dance routine at the start of a musical.

   • At the moment the curtain went up there had to be a lively ensemble number of principals and chorus singing and dancing, the traditional “icebreaker” that also covered up the noise of late-arriving ticket holders getting to their seats.

The neighborhood

• neighborbreak the ice
• neighborpassagemaker
• neighborsocial lubricant