From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbreak the icebreak the iceinformal to make people feel more friendly and willing to talk to each other Sam’s arrival broke the ice and people began to talk and laugh. → break
Examples from the Corpus
break the ice• That always seems to happen when you break the ice.• This gambit nevertheless breaks the ice, and they begin by discussing the merits of various brands of scotch.• Humour Humour can be an excellent behaviour for easing tensions and breaking the ice between people.• I tried to break the ice by offering her a drink, but she said no.• In the winter, she rose early to break the ice in the washing bowls.• To break the ice, the dorm leader asked us to tell the group what our favorite home-cooked meal was.• She helps break the ice when I am interviewing.• We broke the ice which held our relations in a paralysing grip.• I have to break the ice with a long pole before I can lower a bucket into water. 