Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

in the refrigerator

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.61 in modern English

Syllables: in- the re-frig-er-a-tor
IPA

24

Scrabble Score

17

Letters

6

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

prep_phrase

Of a game: having its outcome beyond a doubt, despite the fact that time is remaining before the final buzzer.

Slang

Example Sentences

"This game's in the refrigerator. The door's closed, the light's out, the eggs are cooling, the butter's getting hard and the Jell-O's jiggling!"

Etymology

Coined by sportscaster Chick Hearn.

Usage

Slang

Questions

What does in the refrigerator mean?: Of a game: having its outcome beyond a doubt, despite the fact that time is remaining before the final buzzer.
Where does in the refrigerator come from?: Coined by sportscaster Chick Hearn.

How to pronounce in the refrigerator

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “in the refrigerator”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “in the refrigerator” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.