8 English Winter Idioms to Use in Daily Conversation

Where I come from, February is the very middle of winter.
The days are frigid* and gray. The snow might be icy, slushy*, and dirty. Just to go outside, you need heavy socks, boots, sweaters, a warm coat, hats, gloves, and a scarf.
It isnโt a pretty time of year, where I come from. Like the quote above, itโs a time to stay home, hibernate*, and be warm.
What about where you live? Is winter the same?
Whether you are in the middle of winter now or whether winter will come to you later this year, it’s always a good time to add new idioms to your English vocabulary.
In this lesson, I’ll highlight 8 new idioms that use common winter-related vocabulary.
(*New word? Find the meaning of this word at the end of the lesson.)
Watch the video and then share your favorite idiom with me in the comments below.
Lesson by Annemarie
8 English Winter Idioms + Useful Vocabulary for the Winter Season
To be on thin ice
To be in a risky situation or position
โYouโre already on thin ice, Joan. If youโre late to work one more time, you might get fired.โ
Break the ice
To start a social or friendly conversation; to start something
โBefore we begin to discuss todayโs agenda, letโs break the ice a little bit. I know we have some new people in the group, so letโs get to know each other first.โ
The tip of the iceberg
A small part of something that is much bigger and often unseen
โThese protests are just the tip of the iceberg. I think thereโs much more going on that we donโt know about yet.โ
In the dead of winter
In the middle of winter, when the days are short, dark, and cold
โEven in the dead of winter, there are many wonderful outdoor activities to do in Canada.โ
โWinter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.โ โ Edith Sitwell
The snowball effect
A situation or problem when the consequences grow at a faster rate over time
โThe beginning popularity of applications for the iPhone and Android created a snowball effect and now there is an endless number of apps for smartphones.โ
To get cold feet
To lose courage; to suddenly become too nervous to do something important (like giving a speech, getting married, doing something adventurous)
โSarahโs piano recital was last weekend. Unfortunately, she got cold feet and she didnโt perform.โ
The cold shoulder
To reject someone; to not speak to someone
โLauraโs giving me the cold shoulder. I guess sheโs still mad that I forgot her birthday last week.โ
When hell freezes over / A snowballโs chance in hell
Never; impossible; no chance
(These idioms come from the idea that hell is very hot โ it will never freeze and a snowball canโt survive in hell. These idioms are always used negatively.)
โIf she doesnโt improve her grades, sheโs got a snowballโs chance in hell to get into the best university.โ
โIs it possible to get to the train station in 30 minutes? When hell freezes over! With normal traffic, it will take you at least an hour, maybe more.โ
A snow day (noun phrase) โ a day at home after the cancellation of school for children due to snow, ice, or very cold weather
โDo you think weโll get enough snow to have a snow day tomorrow?โ
A cold snap (noun phrase) โ the sudden (and maybe unexpected) arrival of very cold weather
โJust yesterday I was sitting outside, enjoying the warm sun at a cafe!! What happened? Where did this cold snap come from?โ
To hibernate (verb) โ to spend the winter dormant (for example, many animals hibernate during the winter months); to withdraw or be in seclusion
โThe days are so short and cold during the winter; I just prefer to hibernate at home rather than be outside.โ
Frigid (adjective) โ extremely cold weather/temperatures
โDonโt forget to wear warm clothes to school! Itโs frigid this morning.โ
Slushy (adjective) โ from the noun slush, which means partly melted snow
โUgh, this time of year is so ugly. Iโd would prefer colder temperatures to have white snow instead of this slushy mess!โ
Comfort food (noun phrase) โ food that is simple and gives us a feeling of warmth or reminds us of home
โWhen Iโm sick, the only thing I want is some of my momโs comfort food, like her delicious chicken soup.โ
Review the situations below. Can you replace the text in bold with an idiom or one of the vocabulary words from the lesson?
Situation 1: Everything says the weather this weekend will be terrible. Maybe weโll even have a blizzard. It sounds to me like this is a great weekend to stay at home, watch movies, and sleep.
Situation 2: Iโve told you 3 times now! You need to clean your room before you watch any more TV. If you donโt get your room cleaned soon, you wonโt be able to watch TV today or tomorrow.
Situation 3: Everyone was shocked when she canceled her wedding at the last minute. She said she felt too nervous.
Situation 4: Over the last few decades, the number of women in the United States with an advanced university is higher than men. These numbers continue to increase rapidly.
Situation 5: The company has experienced several public relations problems this year and itโs impacting their sales. And I fear this is only the beginning. We may learn about some bigger problems soon.
And now Iโd love for you to try using some of these idioms on your own. Think about your daily life or something happening at work- can you create 1 or 2 sentences using an idiom from this lesson?
Have fun! ~ Annemarie
Get the Confidence to Say What You Want in English
Follow my 3-step solution to speak English with clarity, fluency, and freedom so you can say what you want with confidence.
You'll also get my Confident English lessons delivered by email every Wednesday and occasional information about available courses. You can unsubscribe any time.
More Like This
#334: How to Group Words and Pause for Natural-Sounding English
Struggling to speak English naturally? Discover how to group words effectively using thought groups to improve your English fluency and sound more natural. Learn how to pause and improve pronunciation to make your English speech smooth and easy to understand.
#333: Better English Conversations: Increase Your Economic Vocabulary
Do you want better English conversations about the economy, finance, and global events? If youโve ever felt unsure using economic vocabulary in English, this lesson will help you increase your economic vocabulary and speak with confidence in real conversations.
#332: Give Better Descriptions In English: Use -ish, -like, -esque
Learn how to use three powerful suffixesโ-ish, -like, and -esqueโto describe colors, times, styles, and qualities with precision and fluency.
#331: Handle Awkward Situations in English | Express Dislike Politely
Explore how to express dislike, disapproval, or lack of interest in a way that feels natural and honest.
#330: Do Less to Achieve More: Success Tips for English Confidence [FREE GUIDE]
A practical guide to English confidence: Learn why simplifying your approach leads to better progress. Stop overwhelming yourself with too many resources and start speaking with confidence.
Top 5 Confident English Lessons of 2024
Master spontaneous speaking, think faster, and become a more confident English speaker by catching up on the most popular lessons of 2024.
ยฉ Copyright 2014-2025 Speak Confident Englishย | ย Privacy Policy ย | ย Terms & Disclaimerย | Online Class Policies
Hi, Annemarie
First of all I want to say thank you for your videos. They really inspired me.
Maybe I’m wrong but when I look at the comments below it seems to me that you are not really interested. I can’t find something that shows that you are interested. Maybe I am wrong about that, than excuse me.
Hi Christa, thanks for the comment and I’m glad to know you’ve enjoyed my video lessons! I’m sorry that you think I’m not interested in the comments here and would appreciate knowing more about why you think that. Would you mind sharing?
In many countries people are not following the instructions to prevent the COVID19 contamination, so it created a snowball effect!! It’s just the tip of the iceberg, as we can ‘t know the exact number of death.
Leaving home in such a frigid and windy day riding a motorbike is really being in thin ice, however wearing a water and chill proof coat! For me the best thing is hibernating and getting some of my mom’s comfort food!
Nowadays if I think on my scientific degree, I belive to be on thin ice. Sometimes, in some situation it is a great deal to break the ice. The changes, what we noticed are only the tip of the iceberg, The relationships are much more complicated. In the dead of winter I like better be in a warm room One of my nephew’s fiancรฉe picked up my wife’s name, This is a really snowball effect in our family. My wife got cold feet. My wife is the only way to bear this asshole that give them cold shoulder. Alas I’m… Read more ยป
I’m looking forwards to when the icy weather will have changed to slush and warm spring rains will clean out all winter’s mud. Sunny days will press out frigid ones. All around wake up after hibernating and if the cold snap will come it will have a snowball’s chance in the hell.
Very clever, Paul! ๐ And like you, I’m looking forward to spring’s arrival!
Thanks so much for sharing these fun, creative examples. ~ Annemarie
Situation 1: Everything says the weather this weekend will be terrible. Maybe weโll even have a blizzard. It sounds to me like this is a great weekend to hibernate Situation 2: You are on thin ice ! You need to clean your room before you watch any more TV. If you donโt get your room cleaned soon, you wonโt be able to watch TV today or tomorrow. Situation 3: Everyone was shocked when she cancelled her wedding at the last minute. She said she got cold feet Situation 4: Over the last few decades, the number of women in the… Read more ยป
When you succeed in something, folks will be able to behold just the tip of the iceberg of your commitment.
In the death of winter I am much more prone to hibernate under the thick blanket with a whodunit in my palm than break the ice with suave personages in a nearby fancy restaurant.
A snow day in not a stunning experience for cold-blooded individuals especially if they are compelled to remove the effects of a recent blizzard that took its toll on their backyards.
Fantastic, Anetta! Excellent job finding the right way to use the idioms in the example sentences.
Thank you Annemarie, you are the most motivating teacher ever ๐
or maybe “the most motivational teacher” . I am not sure which expression is correct.
Thank you, Anetta. That is so kind of you to say! ๐
Hi, Annamarie! Thank you for this wonderful lesson, you know me – I adore such lessons full of vocabulary! And winter, frankly speaking it’s not my time of a year, I don’t like cold and frigid winter days, but more above this I hate wearing all these, tons, of clothes. I won’t be lying when I say that hats, scarves, gloves, boots, several pairs of socks – well, everything woolen and heavy you have in your wardrobe, literary, – all those things are your constant companions during winter. So, looking like a lady can be only in your dreams in… Read more ยป
I love this, Maria! And I’m with you 100% when it comes to winter. I don’t enjoy it… instead, I’m always looking for some way to escape, even if it’s just with my imagination and a book. ๐
Excellent commentary. Thanks for sharing!! ~ Annemarie
1-break the ice
2-be on the ice
3-she got a cold feet
4-
5-tip of the ice berg
Thanks for sharing your answers, Kriti! Any ideas for number 4?
Number 1 is actually from the vocabulary part of the lesson. Can you find another expression or verb that may fit better?
Well done on 2,3, and 5!! Best, Annemarie