puts someone on ice
Shelves for later
To put someone on ice is to delay dealing with them or set them aside for later consideration.
A job candidate might be put on ice while the company interviews others.
In criminal slang, it can mean to kill someone—a permanent removal.
The phrase draws on the image of cold storage, preserving something until you're ready to use it.
- ostracizeExclude from a group
- postponeDelay to later time
- sidelineSecondary business pursuit
- freeze outSocially isolate someone deliberately
- ice outSocially exclude someone
put on hold · defer · stall · sequester · adjourn · chill · exile · kick to the curb · table · banish · cool down · mothball · deep freeze · exclude · cold shoulder · frost · shelve · bench
action timing
puts someone on iceexpedites
Makes swifter or easier
prioritizes · rushes · accelerates · gets the ball rolling · pushes through