Origin of “on thin ice”

Solution 1:

According to the OED, for the specific phrase "on thin ice", they state:

"colloquial (originally U.S.). on thin ice: in a precarious or risky situation."

The earliest example they give for "on thin ice" is 1871, from "Dartmouth" (I don't know what that is):

"But dodging this point by the word possibility, he finds himself on thin ice and skates fast to the conclusion."