frost

¹

[frawst, frost]

noun

1. a degree or state of coldness sufficient to cause the freezing of water.

2. Also called hoarfrost. a covering of minute ice needles, formed from the atmosphere at night upon the ground and exposed objects when they have cooled by radiation below the dew point, and when the dew point is below the freezing point.

3. an opaque coating of tiny, white, granular ice particles, formed on the walls or contents of a freezer by the condensation of water vapor; rime.

4. the act or process of freezing.

5. coldness of manner or temperament.

   We noticed a definite frost in his greeting.

   Synonyms: reserve, distance, indifference, aloofness

6. Informal.,  a coolness between persons.

7. Informal.,  something that meets with lack of enthusiasm, as a theatrical performance or party; failure; flop.

8. a milkshake, frappe, or similar drink.

   a chocolate frost.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with frost.

2. to give a frostlike surface to (glass, metal, etc.).

3. to ice (a cake, cookies, etc.).

4. to bleach selected strands of (a person's hair) in order to create highlights.

5. to kill or injure by frost.

   a freezing rain that badly frosted the tomato plants.

6. to make angry.

   I was frosted by his critical comment.

verb (used without object)

1. to become covered with frost (often followed by up orover ).

   The windshield has frosted over.

2. (of varnish, paint, etc.) to dry with a film resembling frost.

Frost

²

[frawst, frost]

noun

1. Robert (Lee), 1874–1963, U.S. poet.

Frost

¹

/ frɒst /

noun

1. Sir David ( Paradine ). born 1939, British television presenter and executive, noted esp for political interviews

2. Robert ( Lee ). 1874–1963, US poet, noted for his lyrical verse on country life in New England. His books include A Boy's Will (1913), North of Boston (1914), and New Hampshire (1923)

frost

²

/ frɒst /

noun

1. a white deposit of ice particles, esp one formed on objects out of doors at night See also hoarfrost

2. an atmospheric temperature of below freezing point, characterized by the production of this deposit

3. degrees below freezing point: eight degrees of frost indicates a temperature of either –8°C or 24°F

4. informal,  something given a cold reception; failure

5. informal,  coolness of manner

6. the act of freezing

verb

1. to cover or be covered with frost

2. (tr) to give a frostlike appearance to (glass, etc), as by means of a fine-grained surface

3. (tr) to decorate (cakes, etc) with icing or frosting

4. (tr) to kill or damage (crops, etc) with frost

frost

1. A deposit of tiny, white ice crystals on a surface. Frost forms through sublimation, when water vapor in the air condenses at a temperature below freezing. It gets its white color from tiny air bubbles trapped in the ice crystals.

2. See more at dew point

Other Word Forms

• frostless adjective
• frostlike adjective
• unfrost verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of frost¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English frost, forst; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German, Old Norse frost; akin to freeze

Word History and Origins

Origin of frost¹

Old English frost ; related to Old Norse, Old Saxon, Old High German frost ; see _freeze

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. degree of frost, the degree of temperature Fahrenheit below the freezing point.

   10 degrees of frost is equivalent to 22°F.

Example Sentences

Walmart said its ingredient changes will affect products such as sports drinks, cake frosting and cheese dip, with some changes already showing up on its shelves.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The Japanese concept of kō, or micro-seasons, reads like a fieldworker’s prayer: fish emerge from ice; farmers drain fields; last frost, rice seedlings grow.

Read more on Salon

Monday morning saw a frost in quite a few places.

Read more on BBC

Temperatures will tend to be a little below average with a few pockets of rural frost.

Read more on BBC

When Winslet allows the dam surrounding Mare’s despair to crack a little, frosting the blank spaces between lines of dialogue with pure aching emotion, tearing your eyes away is impossible.

Read more on Salon