put it on ice

🌎Region: International 📊Difficulty Level:intermediate

💡Meaning

To postpone or temporarily stop something (a plan, project, discussion) and resume later.

🕰️Origin

From the literal idea of keeping something on ice to preserve it for later; figuratively, you “cool” activity and hold it until the time is right.

📝Notes

Common in business and everyday speech. Implies a temporary pause, not a permanent cancellation. Often used for plans, projects, or negotiations.

💬Examples

Let's put it on ice until we hear back from legal.
We were ready to launch, but the budget cuts forced us to put the project on ice.
Put that argument on ice for now—we need to focus on the meeting agenda.
After the injury, the team decided to put his return on ice until next season.
If you're not sure about the offer, put it on ice and sleep on it.

📘Grammar & Usage Notes

Usually appears as “put [something] on ice” or “put it on ice.” Verb inflects normally (put/putting). Object is flexible; “on ice” is fixed.

🔗Synonyms

↔️Antonyms