in the refrigerator
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Of a game: having its outcome beyond a doubt, despite the fact that time is remaining before the final buzzer.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
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!
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common 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.
Is “in the refrigerator” formal or informal?
in the refrigerator is generally slang.