-ice
1 Americannoun
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the solid form of water, produced by freezing; frozen water.
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the frozen surface of a body of water.
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any substance resembling frozen water.
camphor ice.
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a frozen dessert made of sweetened water and fruit juice.
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British. ice cream.
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icing, as on a cake.
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reserve; formality.
The ice of his manner betrayed his dislike of the new ambassador.
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Slang.
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a diamond or diamonds.
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protection money paid to the police by the operator of an illicit business.
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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)
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to cover with ice.
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to change into ice; freeze.
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to cool with ice, as a drink.
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to cover (cake, sweet rolls, etc.) with icing; frost.
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to refrigerate with ice, as air.
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to make cold, as if with ice.
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to preserve by placing on ice.
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Ice Hockey. (especially in Canada) to put (a team) into formal play.
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Slang.
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to settle or seal; make sure of, as by signing a contract.
We'll ice the deal tomorrow.
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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.
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to kill, especially to murder.
The mobsters threatened to ice him if he went to the police.
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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)
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to change to ice; freeze.
The sherbet is icing in the refrigerator.
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to be coated with ice (often followed byup ).
The windshield has iced up.
adjective
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of or made of ice.
ice shavings;
an ice sculpture.
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for holding ice and food or drink to be chilled.
an ice bucket;
an ice chest.
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on or done on the ice.
ice yachting.
idioms
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ice it, stop it; that's enough.
You've been complaining all day, so ice it.
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break the ice,
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to succeed initially; make a beginning.
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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.
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ice the puck, to hit the puck to the far end of the rink, especially from the defensive area across the offensive area.
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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.
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on ice,
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with a good chance of success or realization.
Now that the contract is on ice we can begin operating again.
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out of activity, as in confinement or imprisonment.
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in a state of abeyance or readiness.
Let's put that topic on ice for the moment.
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cut no ice, to have no influence or importance; fail to impress.
Her father's position cuts no ice with me.
noun
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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.
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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.
abbreviation
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Iceland.
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Icelandic.
noun
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water in the solid state, formed by freezing liquid water
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a portion of ice cream
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slang a diamond or diamonds
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the field of play in ice hockey
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slang a concentrated and highly potent form of methamphetamine with dangerous side effects
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to relieve shyness, etc, esp between strangers
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to be the first of a group to do something
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informal to fail to make an impression
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in abeyance; pending
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unsafe or unsafely; vulnerable or vulnerably
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informal Antarctica
verb
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to form or cause to form ice; freeze
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(tr) to mix with ice or chill (a drink, etc)
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(tr) to cover (a cake, etc) with icing
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slang (tr) to kill
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to shoot the puck from one end of the rink to the other
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to select which players will play in a game
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abbreviation
abbreviation
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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.
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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.
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Several economy passengers asked for ice packs to ease their sudden headaches, then a handful started to vomit.
But there are also multiple music stages, craft stalls, vendors offering traditional Croatian food, art installations, and an enormous ice rink.
From BBC
"They come here from Italy, Spain, Bosnia, Slovenia and even the UK," says Lucija Vrkljan, who is working as a steward at the ice rink.
From BBC
With four regular starters limited by injuries, the Lakers’ ice cold shooting night doomed them to a season-low in points.
From Los Angeles Times
Earlier this month, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said players will not take part in the 2026 Winter Olympics if issues with ice quality were not resolved.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
