on thin ice

prepositional phrase

In a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.

“Ever since he was caught stealing office supplies, he has been on thin ice with his boss.”

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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticIn a dangerous, hazardous, or delicate situation; at risk.

    Ever since he was caught stealing office supplies, he has been on thin ice with his boss.

adverbon thin ice (not comparable)
  1. idiomaticnot comparableDangerously, hazardously, delicately.

Origin

Suggesting a person skating or walking on a frozen-over body of water, at risk of breaking through and falling into the water.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan en situaciò perillosa
  • en situaciò perillosaat risk
Finnish heikolla jäällä
  • heikolla jäälläat risk
French sur la corde raide
  • sur la corde raideat risk
German auf dünnem Eis
  • auf dünnem Eisat risk
Indonesian abu di atas tanggul
  • abu di atas tanggulat risk
Italian sul filo del rasoio
  • sul filo del rasoioat risk
Latin in periculō
  • in periculōat risk
Polish po cienkim lodzie
  • po cienkim lodzieat risk
Portuguese em situação delicada, em situação difícil
  • em situação delicadaat risk
  • em situação difícilat risk
Romanian pe muchie de cuțit
  • pe muchie de cuțitat risk
Spanish a riesgo, en la cuerda floja
  • a riesgoat risk
  • en la cuerda flojaat risk
Swedish på tunn is
  • på tunn isat risk
Cite this entry
APA

on thin ice. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20thin%20ice

MLA

“on thin ice.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20thin%20ice. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on thin ice,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20thin%20ice.

Source: on thin ice on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.