-ice

¹ American  

1. a suffix of nouns, indicating state or quality, appearing in loanwords from French.

   notice.

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ice ² American  

[ahys] / aɪs /

noun

1. the solid form of water, produced by freezing; frozen water.

2. the frozen surface of a body of water.

3. any substance resembling frozen water.

   camphor ice.

4. a frozen dessert made of sweetened water and fruit juice.

5. British. ice cream.

6. icing, as on a cake.

7. reserve; formality.

   The ice of his manner betrayed his dislike of the new ambassador.

8. Slang.

   1. a diamond or diamonds.

   2. protection money paid to the police by the operator of an illicit business.

   3. a fee that a ticket broker pays to a theater manager in order to receive a favorable allotment of tickets.

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verb (used with object)

iced, icing

1. to cover with ice.

2. to change into ice; freeze.

3. to cool with ice, as a drink.

4. to cover (cake, sweet rolls, etc.) with icing; frost.

5. to refrigerate with ice, as air.

6. to make cold, as if with ice.

7. to preserve by placing on ice.

8. Ice Hockey. (especially in Canada) to put (a team) into formal play.

9. Slang.

   1. to settle or seal; make sure of, as by signing a contract.

      We'll ice the deal tomorrow.

   2. to make (a business arrangement) more attractive by adding features or benefits.

      The star pitcher wouldn't sign his new contract until the team iced it with a big bonus.

   3. to kill, especially to murder.

      The mobsters threatened to ice him if he went to the police.

10. Sports Slang. to establish a winning score or insurmountable lead in or otherwise assure victory in (a game or contest).

    Her second goal iced the game.

verb (used without object)

iced, icing

1. to change to ice; freeze.

   The sherbet is icing in the refrigerator.

2. to be coated with ice (often followed byup ).

   The windshield has iced up.

adjective

1. of or made of ice.

   ice shavings;

   an ice sculpture.

2. for holding ice and food or drink to be chilled.

   an ice bucket;

   an ice chest.

3. on or done on the ice.

   ice yachting.

idioms

1. ice it, stop it; that's enough.

   You've been complaining all day, so ice it.

2. break the ice,

   1. to succeed initially; make a beginning.

   2. to overcome reserve, awkwardness, or formality within a group, as in introducing persons.

      The chairman broke the ice with his warm and very amusing remarks.

3. ice the puck, to hit the puck to the far end of the rink, especially from the defensive area across the offensive area.

4. on thin ice, in a precarious or delicate situation: Also skating on thin ice.

   You may pass the course, but you're on thin ice right now.

5. on ice,

   1. with a good chance of success or realization.

      Now that the contract is on ice we can begin operating again.

   2. out of activity, as in confinement or imprisonment.

   3. in a state of abeyance or readiness.

      Let's put that topic on ice for the moment.

6. cut no ice, to have no influence or importance; fail to impress.

   Her father's position cuts no ice with me.

Ice. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Iceland.

2. Icelandic.

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ICE ⁴ American  

[ahys] / aɪs /

noun

1. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: a federal agency tasked with interior enforcement of U.S. customs and immigration laws, including cross-border investigations of criminal activity, and the arrest, detention, and removal of undocumented aliens.

2. in case of emergency: (usually designating an emergency-contact phone number in one's cell phone contact list).

   The paramedic found my mom's ICE number immediately.

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ICE ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Institution of Civil Engineers

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ice ² British  

/ aɪs /

noun

1. water in the solid state, formed by freezing liquid water

2. a portion of ice cream

3. slang a diamond or diamonds

4. the field of play in ice hockey

5. slang a concentrated and highly potent form of methamphetamine with dangerous side effects

6. 1. to relieve shyness, etc, esp between strangers

   2. to be the first of a group to do something

7. informal to fail to make an impression

8. in abeyance; pending

9. unsafe or unsafely; vulnerable or vulnerably

10. informal Antarctica

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verb

1. to form or cause to form ice; freeze

2. (tr) to mix with ice or chill (a drink, etc)

3. (tr) to cover (a cake, etc) with icing

4. slang (tr) to kill

5. 1. to shoot the puck from one end of the rink to the other

   2. to select which players will play in a game

Ice. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. Iceland(ic)

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ice Scientific  

/ īs /

1. A solid consisting of frozen water. Ice forms at or below a temperature of 0°C (32°F). Ice expands during the process of freezing, with the result that its density is lower than that of water.

2. A solid form of a substance, especially of a substance that is a liquid or a gas at room temperature at sea level on Earth. The nuclei of many comets contain methane ice.

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ice More Idioms  

1. see break the ice; cut no ice; on ice; on thin ice; put on ice; tip of the iceberg.

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Usage

What else does ICE mean? ICE stands for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a federal agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Other Word Forms

• iceless adjective
• icelike adjective
• reice verb
• unice verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of -ice¹

Middle English -ice, -ise < Old French < Latin -itius, -itia, -itium abstract noun suffix

Origin of ice¹

First recorded before 900; 1905–10 ice for def. 8a; Middle English, Old English īs; cognate with German Eis, Old Norse īss

Example Sentences

And while the U.K. singer Olivia Dean did not mention ICE during her acceptance speech, she also spoke out in defense of immigrants after being named best new artist.

From The Wall Street Journal

“In a couple of days, I’m going to be heading home, and my heart is aching thinking about the people, the children, the families all over America who are being mercilessly targeted by ICE,” Gaga said, according to video footage of the event.

From Los Angeles Times

The pair had been held at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley after being arrested Jan. 20 in Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and returned to their home on Sunday, over a week in ICE custody.

From Salon

The ruling does not resolve the family’s ongoing immigration proceedings, nor does it erase the fact that potentially thousands of children are still in ICE custody.

From Salon

Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Democrat and outspoken critic of ICE, also posted on social media about the father and son's return to Minnesota.

From BBC

Related Words

• bling
• bling-bling
• diamond
• diamonds