when hell freezes over and the devil learns to (ice) skate Idiom, Proverb
cheap skate
a person who does not pay his share, a tight-ass That cheap skate can keep his money. I'll pay for the tickets.
cheapskate
a person who will not spend much money, a stingy person My friend is a cheapskate and won't even go to a movie with me.
skate on thin ice
take a chance, risk danger or disapproval He has been skating on thin ice recently with regard to his job. He is causing many problems and may be fired.
skaters
skate boarders, boarders The skaters were asked to leave the downtown area.
get your skates on
to hurry up: "Get your skates on - we're late as it is!"
skate on thin ice|ice|skate|thin ice
v. phr. To take a chance; risk danger, disapproval or anger.
You'll be skating on thin ice if you ask Dad to increase your allowance again. John knew he was skating on thin ice, but he could not resist teasing his sister about her boyfriend.
skate
skate In addition to the idiom beginning with
skate, also see
cheap skate;
on thin ice.
skate over
skate over Treat superficially or hurriedly, avoid mentioning, as in
He concentrated on the main points of the contract and skated over the details. This idiom transfers the gliding motion of skating to dealing with something in a cursory way. [Mid-1900s]
when hell freezes over and the devil learns to (ice) skate
Never; at no time. Bob, our ancestors will abandon ascendancy of this aggregation to you back hell freezes over and the devil learns to ice skate. That antic will be accustomed to run this abundant accompaniment of ours back hell freezes over and the devil learns to skate.Learn more: and, devil, freeze, hell, learn, over, skate