On the Rocks – Meaning, Origin & Usage

When you are at a bar, pub, party, or restaurant, you are likely to overhear the request to have a drink “on the rocks”. In this context, this is an idiom referring to ice in one’s drink. However, the phrase “on the rocks” can also be used in another figurative sense with a whole different meaning.

In this article, we’ll be spelling out just what is meant by the phrase, and how the phrase may have originated before going on to discuss how to use the phrase correctly. Then, we’ll round off with a mention of a few related and synonymous phrases and expressions.

And without further ado, let’s get straight to it!

What does the phrase “on the rocks” mean?

The phrase “on the rocks” is an idiom which is a metaphor that can have multiple meanings or inferences. The most commonly used meaning of the phrase simply refers to the presence of ice in a drink.

The other figurative meaning of the phrase “on the rocks” is to describe something as being in danger or on the verge of failing, much like a sailing ship that’s about to crash into a rocky shoreline.

The historical origins of the phrase “on the rocks”

Despite the more common use of the phrase “on the rocks” to mean “with ice”, interestingly, it is the other figurative sense of the word that dates back the furthest…

“On the rocks” was initially a nautical term, derived from the danger of becoming a shipwreck by getting too close to rocky shores, and facing imminent danger by literally being “on the rocks”, and close to breaking apart.

The earliest known recorded use of the phrase in this context is believed to date back as far as the 1500s, although it is not known who first coined the phrase, or its precise origin.

However, it was not until the late 1800s that there’s recorded use of the phrase being used figuratively to refer to something that is likely to fail because of serious problems, or is in a state of extreme difficulty, destruction or ruin.

The earliest known recorded use of the phrase “on the rocks” to refer to having ice in drinks appears to be much more recent, dating back to just the 1940s. It has been suspected that the origin of the term in this context is derived from the idea of Scottish drinkers cooling their whisky down by using actual rocks taken from the nearest riverbed. 

Another theory maintains that the phrase, in this context, is derived from how the Scots originally used volcanic pumice from frozen rivers to chill their drinks. This had the effective of cooling the drink without watering it down, thus maintaining the pungency and bitterness of alcohol. 

It has also been put forward that “on the rocks” in this sense simply came down to how chunks of ice looked when chipped from a large block before artificial refrigeration became widespread and ice cube trays became commonplace.

How to use the phrase “on the rocks” properly

How to use the phrase correctly obviously depends on the context in which it is used. When ordering drinks with ice be sure not to say “on the rocks with ice” because this is redundant, saying the same thing twice.

In its other figurative sense, as a sign of imminent danger, the phrase is most often used to describe a relationship. That said however, it can also be used to describe anything else that can be considered “rocky” for one reason or another. For example, it could be used to refer to the physical health of a person or to the financial health of a person, couple or organisation.

Examples of the phrase “on the rocks” in sentences

Here are some examples of the phrase “on the rocks” used in different contexts:

• Pete ordered a whiskey on the rocks to calm his nerves before facing Jane.
• I’ll have a Jack Daniels neat on the rocks, please. How much is that?
• We shouldn’t have agreed to have an open relationship. I feel like we’re on the rocks.
• It’s obvious why our relationship is on the rocks. We want different things and we’re both just as stubborn as the other.
• I hope everything’s ok now. I know they have been a bit on the rocks lately.
• This business partnership is a disaster. 8 months in and we can’t agree on anything.
• If the storm makes us veer off course, we will literally be on the rocks.
• It’s such a shame that their marriage is on the rocks already.

Related and synonymous phrases and expressions

Here follows a brief selection of related and synonymous sayings that can often be used in place of the phrase “on the rocks”:

• On thin ice
• In big trouble
• On the brink of collapse
• On the brink of disaster
• On the brink
• At breaking point
• In hot water
• In a tight spot
• Teetering on the edge
• In jeopardy
• Destitute
• Breaking down
• Falling apart
• In tatters
• In a hole
• In a jam
• In a pickle
• In danger
• Practically over

Final word

So, in short, the phrase “on the rocks” can be used literally or metaphorically. There are two figurative meanings, the most commonly used of which is to refer to ice in a drink. The other figurative meaning of the term refers to something, such as a relationship, being on the verge of failing and breaking apart, much like a sailing ship about to crash into a rocky shoreline.

The precise origin of the phrase is not known, though it does appear to date back hundreds of years. Its reference to ice in drinks is likely to have been derived from the way that the Scots used to cool down their whiskey. However its reference to things being in danger of breaking apart comes from the thought of an imminent shipwreck and a ship crashing into a rocky shoreline.