ice

1 of 5

noun

ˈīs 

often attributive

1

a

: frozen water

b

: a sheet or stretch of ice

2

: a substance resembling ice

especially : the solid state of a substance usually found as a gas or liquid

ammonia ice in the rings of Saturn

3

: a state of coldness (as from formality or reserve)

4

a

: a frozen dessert containing a flavoring (such as fruit juice)

especially : one containing no milk or cream

b

British : a serving of ice cream

5

slang : diamonds

broadly : jewelry

6

: an undercover premium paid to a theater employee for choice theater tickets

7

: crystal meth

iceless

ˈīs-ləs 

adjective

ice

2 of 5

verb

iced; icing

transitive verb

1

a

: to coat with or convert into ice

b

: to chill with ice

c

: to supply with ice

2

: to cover with or as if with icing

3

: to put on ice

4

: secure sense 1b

made two free throws … to ice the win

—Jack McCallum

5

: to shoot (an ice hockey puck) the length of the rink and beyond the opponents' goal line

6

slang : kill sense 1a

intransitive verb

1

: to become ice-cold

2

a

: to become covered with ice

—often used with up or over

b

: to have ice form inside

-ice

3 of 5

noun suffix

əs

: act

service

: quality

justice

: condition

cowardice

Ice

4 of 5

abbreviation (1)

Iceland

ICE

5 of 5

abbreviation (2)

1

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

In March 2003, the Homeland Security Act set into motion what would be the single-largest government reorganization since the creation of the Department of Defense. One of the agencies in the new Department of Homeland Security was the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, now known as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE.

—www.ice.gov/history

2

in case of emergency

Enter an ICE (in case of emergency) listing in the address book of your cell phone. Place the ICE acronym next to a person who can assist emergency workers if any important medical decisions need to be made.

—Andrew Weil

3

internal combustion engine

4

International Cultural Exchange

Phrases

on ice

1

: with every likelihood of being won or accomplished

2

: in reserve or safekeeping

on thin ice

: in a precarious or risky situation

Synonyms

Verb

• assure
• cinch
• ensure
• guarantee
• guaranty
• insure
• secure

Examples of ice in a Sentence

Noun

The steps were coated with ice.

Ice formed on the car's windows.

The ice melted quickly in the hot sun.

She skated out onto the ice.

He almost fell through a hole in the ice.

Fill the glass with ice.

He gave her some ice for her birthday.

Verb

Ice the glasses before you fill them.

with that win, the team has pretty much iced a spot in the play-offs

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Investigators believe that the boy tried to walk north across the lake towards the lake house and fell through the ice, and the girl who witnessed him fall tried to help. —Stephen Smith, CBS News, 9 Dec. 2024

Several times, Herr’s feet broke through ice into a freezing stream. —Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024

Verb

Checkered Chef Wire Cooling Rack Allowing cookies to cool properly before icing is the key to creating crisp borders, and the best way to do that is to transfer them to a wire cooling rack after baking. —Maggie Horton, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024

This classic cookie icing recipe calls for just five ingredients, is easy to make, and sets quickly for fast cookie decorating. —Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman, Southern Living, 10 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English is, from Old English īs; akin to Old High German īs ice, Avestan isu- icy

Noun suffix

French, suffix forming nouns from nouns and adjectives, going back to Old French -ise, -ice, partially nativized borrowing from Latin -itia, suffix forming nouns from adjectives (usually monosyllabic), extended form of -ia -ia entry 1, and -itium, forming nouns usually designating status (as servitium service entry 1) from personal nouns

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing ice

• black ice
• break the ice
• center ice
• cut ice
• cut no ice
• dry ice
• gel ice
• have ice water in her veins
• ice age
• ice ax
• ice bag
• ice cap
• ice-cold
• ice cream
• ice-cream chair
• ice-cream cone
• ice-cream headache
• ice cream sundae
• ice dancing
• ice field
• ice fishing
• ice floe
• ice fog
• ice hockey
• ice lolly
• ice milk
• ice-out
• ice over/up
• ice pack
• ice pick
• ice plant
• ice point
• ice rink
• ice sheet
• ice shelf
• ice show
• ice skate
• ice storm
• ice water
• ice water in one's veins
• ice wine
• Neapolitan ice cream
• pack ice
• shelf ice
• water ice

Kids Definition

ice

1 of 2 noun

ˈīs 

1

a

: frozen water

b

: a sheet of frozen water

skating on the ice

2

: a state of coldness (as in personal behavior)

3

: a substance resembling ice

4

: a frozen dessert usually made with sweetened fruit juice

ice

2 of 2 verb

iced; icing

1

a

: to coat or become coated with ice

b

: to chill with ice

2

: to cover with icing

Medical Definition

ice

noun

ˈīs 

1

: frozen water

2

: crystal meth

Legal Definition

ICE

abbreviation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement