I’m in my 50s so I definitely don’t remember ice boxes, but, I use “ice box” to distinguish the refrigerator’s freezer between the chest and upright freezers in the cellar.
I suspect “icebox” was obsolete when she was young, but her parents used the term. Then there’s dial a phone, roll down a car window, film a video,… The decay time for a word is much longer than the uptake.
I haven’t heard anyone refer to a refrigerator as an “icebox” since the 1950s, and even then it was mostly my grandparents’ generation. There was one house on our street that still had ice blocks delivered. We didn’t mock them because our house was the last one still heated by burning coal!
I listened to a conversation recently and heard something good described as “Dope!” And “Sick” then one girl said, “Groovy.” So…it’s everything today I guess,
Another interesting aspect of changing technology was that so many early refrigerators were Frigidaire brand that the name became synonymous with the device. It was likely because it was the word they saw every time they opened the door with the contributing factor that it was only three syllables vs. five. I suspect some older people still use it nowadays.
Lucy Rudy about 2 years ago
I’ve started saying “in my day” a lot.
sergioandrade Premium Member about 2 years ago
Refrigerators have been around in most households since the 1930’s so ice boxes are older than her.
Chithing Premium Member about 2 years ago
Apparently, old age doesn’t really guarantee wisdom (I’m a good example).
johnjoyce about 2 years ago
I’m in my 50s so I definitely don’t remember ice boxes, but, I use “ice box” to distinguish the refrigerator’s freezer between the chest and upright freezers in the cellar.
Thechildinme about 2 years ago
Just to “nit pick,” saying “ice box” takes less time than it does to say, “re frig er a tor!”
timinwsac Premium Member about 2 years ago
Dang whipper snapper!
david_42 about 2 years ago
I suspect “icebox” was obsolete when she was young, but her parents used the term. Then there’s dial a phone, roll down a car window, film a video,… The decay time for a word is much longer than the uptake.
hk Premium Member about 2 years ago
Hey you little snot, without old people you would be living on the street.
Ooten Aboot about 2 years ago
I haven’t heard anyone refer to a refrigerator as an “icebox” since the 1950s, and even then it was mostly my grandparents’ generation. There was one house on our street that still had ice blocks delivered. We didn’t mock them because our house was the last one still heated by burning coal!
Drbarb71 Premium Member about 2 years ago
I listened to a conversation recently and heard something good described as “Dope!” And “Sick” then one girl said, “Groovy.” So…it’s everything today I guess,
cuzinron47 about 2 years ago
I’m an old person, we actually had an icebox, the kind you had to put a block of ice in.
Bill D. Kat Premium Member about 2 years ago
Another interesting aspect of changing technology was that so many early refrigerators were Frigidaire brand that the name became synonymous with the device. It was likely because it was the word they saw every time they opened the door with the contributing factor that it was only three syllables vs. five. I suspect some older people still use it nowadays.
morningglory73 Premium Member about 2 years ago
I’m old but I never called the refrigerator an ice box. “Kids these day.:” Maybe.
Nancy Simpson about 2 years ago
How did the kid know what she was talking about then?