in the refrigerator

English

Etymology

Coined by sportscaster Chick Hearn.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

in the refrigerator

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

   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!