"a frigid woman with an ice cube up her works"?

Question

This phrase still comes from the novel I am reading(The Shining) which confuses me.
The whole sentence is

When it(west wing of the hotel) whoops, those rooms get as cold as a frigid woman with an ice cube up her works.

I know it's a metaphor which is used to describe how cold those rooms are. But I just can't understand what "a frigid woman with an ice cube up her works" means.

Dear teachers, could you shed some light it? Thanks in advance.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

The woman is not interested in engaging in sexual intercourse.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

Thank you. But what about the other part "with an ice cube up her works"? What does this part mean?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

zuotengdazuo "with an ice cube up her works"?

Ice cube = a frozen lump of water
up her works = placed in her ******.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

Thank you very much. Now I understand you didn't explain the other part at the beginning because it's vulgar. I didn't know "works" can refer to a reproductive organ because I can't find this meaning in dictionary. Is it a slang for any sexual organs?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

zuotengdazuo I didn't know "works" can refer to a reproductive organ because I can't find this meaning in dictionary. Is it a slang for any sexual organs?

No, it's not commonly used. But there are many euphemistic terms for *** and the sexual organs. Authors and young people invent new ones all the time.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

Thank you. But how can you be so sure that "works" is an euphemistic term for *** and sexual organs when it is just an invention of the author and it doesn't have a definite meaning in dictionary?

Broadly speaking, how can you discern the meaning of a term when it has uncommon usage and the usage can't be found in any dictionary or on the Internet?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

zuotengdazuoBroadly speaking, how can you discern the meaning of a term when it has uncommon usage and the usage can't be found in any dictionary or on the Internet?

You have to use your imagination, consider the context and know possible references.

In this case, "the works" means the functioning internal parts of a machine or a factory.
"Throw a spanner in the works" is an idiom meaning to disrupt smooth operation or to do something to prevent your plans from succeeding.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/gum+up+the+works is an idiom meaning to disrupt a smoothly-operating business or machine.

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/put-throw-a-spanner-in-the-works

Sometimes Urbandictionary.com will give you brand new usage that is circulating on the street.

Zuotengdazuo · Answer

Thank you very much. But what do you mean by "possible references"?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

zuotengdazuo"possible references"

Meanings that the author could possibly know.

Your text was really, really trivial and obvious.

Now if you want to encounter some obscure text, James Joyce's "Finnegan's Wake" has both entranced and stymied readers since it was published in 1939. Many books have been written on interpreting his words, and groups of fans meet for years, reading page-by-page, decoding his language.

"a frigid woman with an ice cube up her works"?

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions