Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

ice

Syllabification: (ice)
Pronunciation: /īs/

Translate ice | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of ice

noun

  • 1frozen water, a brittle, transparent crystalline solid:the pipes were blocked with ice
  • complete absence of friendliness or affection in manner or expression:the ice in his voice was only to hide the pain
  • 2a frozen mixture of fruit juice or flavored water and sugar.
  • 3 informal diamonds.
  • 4 informal an illegal profit made from reselling tickets.
  • money paid in graft or bribery.
  • 5 informal methamphetamine.

verb

[with object]
  • 1decorate (a cake) with icing.
  • 2 informal clinch (something such as a victory or deal).
  • 3 informal kill:a man had been iced by the police
  • 4 Ice Hockey shoot (the puck) so as to commit icing.

Phrases

break the ice

do or say something to relieve tension or get conversation going at the start of a party or when people meet for the first time.

on ice

  • 1(of wine or food) kept chilled by being surrounded by ice.
  • (especially of a plan or proposal) held in reserve for future consideration:the recommendation was put on ice
  • 2(of an entertainment) performed by skaters:Cinderella on Ice

on thin ice

in a precarious or risky situation:you’re skating on thin ice

Phrasal Verbs

ice over (or up)

become completely covered or blocked with ice:the wings iced over, forcing the pilot to dive

Origin:

Old English īs, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch ijs and German Eis

Spelling rule

Drop the final silent -e when adding -ing or -ed: (ices, icing, iced).

ice in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of ice in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

Word of the day

merrythought

/ ˈmerēˌTHôt /
noun
the wishbone of a bird …