ice
A1Neutral. Common in everyday, scientific, culinary, and sporting contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Frozen water; the solid state of water.
Diamonds; a frozen dessert; a state of emotional coldness; to cover or cool with ice; to clinch or finalize something; in ice hockey, to put on ice (a puck) for a delayed game.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The noun is count and non-count (e.g., 'an ice' for a dessert, 'ice' as a substance). The verb usage is particularly strong in American English. Figuratively connotes coldness, clarity, danger, or finality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'ice' (verb) for covering a cake means to coat with icing/royal icing. In the US, 'ice' a cake means to frost it. 'Ice' for 'diamonds' is more prevalent in US slang. 'Ice hockey' is simply 'hockey' in North America.
Connotations
Similar core connotations of coldness and clarity. US usage has stronger informal/slang applications (e.g., 'to ice someone' meaning to kill).
Frequency
The verb form (to make cold, to clinch) is more frequent in American English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] ice [V] (Ice forms/melts)[V] ice [N] (Ice the drink/cake)[V] [N] on ice (Put the champagne on ice)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “break the ice”
- “on thin ice”
- “cut no ice”
- “ice in one's veins”
- “skate on thin ice”
- “the ice age”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"Let's put that proposal on ice until next quarter." (To delay)
Academic
"The core sample revealed layers of ancient ice."
Everyday
"Could you get some ice for the party drinks?"
Technical
"The wing must be de-iced prior to takeoff." (Aviation)
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She iced the Christmas cake with royal icing.
- The pond iced over last night.
American English
- He iced the champagne for the celebration.
- The shooter iced the game with a three-pointer.
adverb
British English
- The wind felt ice cold against his face.
American English
- The beer was served ice cold.
adjective
British English
- We need an ice bucket for the wine.
- He suffered an ice-related injury.
American English
- She ordered an ice water with lemon.
- The players entered the ice-cool arena.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- There is ice on the road.
- I put ice in my lemonade.
- The ice is melting.
- Be careful, the stairs are covered in ice.
- She added two ice cubes to her glass.
- Let's break the ice with a quick game.
- The aircraft was delayed for de-icing.
- His manner was as cold as ice.
- The contract is on ice pending legal review.
- The detective's icy composure never faltered.
- Geopolitical tensions have put the treaty on ice.
- She iced the competition with her flawless performance.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine the letters I-C-E as an Icy Crystal Element.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONAL DISTANCE IS COLDNESS / 'She gave him an icy stare.'
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'ice' for 'ice cream'. In English, 'ice cream' is the standard term; 'ice' alone typically refers to the solid water.
- The Russian phrase 'лёд тронулся' translates idiomatically as 'the ice has broken' but is not a direct English idiom for starting progress; 'we've broken the ice' is closer.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'ices' as a plural for the substance (uncountable: 'lots of ice', not 'lots of ices').
- Confusing 'ice' (noun) with 'iced' (adjective: 'iced tea').
Practice
Quiz
In American sports journalism, 'to ice the game' most likely means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily uncountable when referring to the substance (e.g., 'There is ice on the lake'). It can be countable in specific contexts like portions of dessert ('Two ices, please') or diamonds (slang).
'Ice' is generally a thicker, more solid layer of frozen water. 'Frost' is a thin, light, crystalline layer of ice that forms from atmospheric moisture on cold surfaces.
Yes. It can mean to cool with ice ('ice a drink'), to cover with icing ('ice a cake'), or, informally, to kill or finalize something.
It refers to a thin, transparent layer of ice on a road or pavement, which is extremely dangerous as it is nearly invisible.
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Food and Drink
A1 · 49 words · Common words for food, drink and meals.
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