ice needles
Americanplural noun
Etymology
Origin of ice needles
First recorded in 1925–30
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.
Not all soil is porous enough to form ice needles; generally, soils high in silt or organic matter work best, according to research published in the journal Arctic and Alpine Research.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 3, 2021
Though this process is much less dramatic than ice needles pushing aside stones, it can still cause tiny pebbles and dust to shift over time.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 3, 2021
If you’ve ever walked over “crunchy” ground early in the morning, you’ve probably crushed some ice needles without realizing it.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 3, 2021
Because a pile of stones is heavier than a single pebble, ice needles aren’t able to push the stones once they reach a high enough concentration.
From Scientific American ● Nov. 3, 2021
It was as if ice needles pricked his skin through his beautiful thick fur, but he never faltered and never once cried.
From Lords of the Housetops Thirteen Cat Tales by Carl Van Vechten
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.
