noun
ice
ys
noun
1
Water that has frozen solid.
"The pond froze over into a thick sheet of ice."
"She put ice in her drink to cool it down."
2
A cold, unfriendly manner or atmosphere between people.
"There was ice between the two rivals after the argument."
3
Icing or frosting on a cake or pastry.
"The bakery piped a thin layer of ice over the buns."
verb
1
To cover a cake with icing or frosting.
"She iced the cake with a smooth layer of white frosting."
2
To cool something by packing it in or around ice.
"He iced his sore knee after the match."
3
(slang) To kill someone.
"The movie villain threatens to ice anyone who betrays him."
How to Use Ice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishFrozen water, or by extension, coldness — literal (a cold drink) or figurative (a cold reception).
Memory tip
"Break the ice" means to ease tension at the start of a social situation.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
break the ice
ice cold
on ice
ice a cake
Word Forms
iced past tense, ICEd past tense, ices plural, ices singular, ICEs singular
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Fill the Gap
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The pond froze over into a thick sheet of _____.
Etymology
From Old English is, going back to a very old Germanic root for "ice" or "frost."