on ice

Touching or resting on frozen water, sometimes to keep something cold.

• Be careful walking on ice.
• The shop displayed fresh fish on ice.
• She slipped on ice outside the house.

Common phrases: skate on ice, slip on ice, fish on ice

Temporarily stopped or delayed until a later time.

• Our travel plans are on ice.
• They put the merger on ice after the talks failed.
• How long will you keep the project on ice?

How to use it: put/keep something on ice (We put the project on ice until funding arrives.)

Similar words: on hold, suspended, postponed

Opposites: active

Common phrases: put something on ice, keep something on ice, plans on ice

Performed as a show in which the actors skate.

• We saw a fairy tale on ice.
• The theatre company performed the musical on ice last winter.
• Have you seen their new ballet on ice?

Common phrases: ballet on ice, musical on ice, show on ice

So certain to be won that the result is no longer in doubt.

• That goal put the game on ice.
• With a huge lead, they had the victory on ice.
• The captain put the match on ice with a final point.

How to use it: put a game on ice (Their late goal put the game on ice.)

Similar words: in the bag, secured

Common phrases: put something on ice, game on ice, victory on ice

Dead, usually because someone has killed the person.

• The witness is on ice now.
• The crime boss wanted his rival on ice.
• In the film, the killer puts two gangsters on ice.

How to use it: put someone on ice (The gangster ordered his men to put the witness on ice.)

Similar words: dead

Opposites: alive

Common phrases: put someone on ice, someone on ice