What does the Expression ‘Cut no Ice’ Mean?

To cut no ice means to have no influence on someone; to not have any effect or impact.

There are two competing theories behind the origin of this phrase.

Some people believe that this phrase comes from a time before modern household refrigerators were common. The ice to be sold in the market was obtained by cutting a large block with a sharp tool. So, if a tool was ineffective in chipping ice from the larger block, it was useless.

The second group of people believes that this phrase comes from ice-skating. For a skater to move easily, the blades must be sharp enough to cut into the ice. If they can’t cut into the ice, they are useless or worthless.

Let’s see an example —

“The salesman tried hard to convince me to buy the car, but his words cut no ice with me.”

It means that the salesman’s words couldn’t influence me; they didn’t have any impact on me.

I hope you found this story interesting. If you did, buy my full course on Udemy or watch it for free on Skillshare by signing up here. This course covers nearly 380 idioms with their origins and backstories.

Hi, I am Gauri Shanker, a Vocab teacher and enthusiast. I teach vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. You can check out my courses here.