icing

[ ahy-sing ]

noun

1. a sweet, creamy spread, as of confectioners' sugar, butter, and flavoring, for covering cakes, cookies, etc.; frosting.
2. Meteorology. a coating of ice on a solid object. Compare glaze, rime ¹.
3. Aviation. the freezing of atmospheric moisture on the surface of an aircraft.
4. Ice Hockey. the act of a player shooting the puck from the defensive half of the rink over the opponent's goal line, but not into the goal, as a defensive maneuver to keep the puck out of the reach of attacking opponents, resulting in a penalty against the defensive team if the puck is then next touched by an opponent other than the goalkeeper.

icing

/ ˈaɪsɪŋ /

noun

1. Also called (esp US and Canadian)frosting a sugar preparation, variously flavoured and coloured, for coating and decorating cakes, biscuits, etc
2. the formation of ice, as on a ship or aircraft, due to the freezing of moisture in the atmosphere
3. any unexpected extra or bonus (esp in icing on the cake )

Word History and Origins

Origin of icing¹

First recorded in 1760–70; ice + -ing ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. icing on the cake. frosting ( def 5 ).

Example Sentences

Dust, dirt, and cupcake icing can plunge deep into your face-forest.

From Popular-Science

Women want the cake and the icing and the cherry on top, just like everybody else, and we have to go for it.

From Time

To be able to do it all in your own backyard is just the icing on the cake.

From Popular-Science

Add a dollop of icing in the middle of a cake plate, and put the first layer in place.

From Outside Online

When we’re discussing using SEO data to identify your business gaps, then the icing on the cake is a good, thorough backlink gap.

From Search Engine Watch

And aside from doing the requisite things needed to seize the majority, there was icing on the cake, too.

From The Daily Beast

That would be a nice little layer of icing, because it would prove the smug conventional wisdom as wrong as it usually is.

From The Daily Beast

Bringing along Justin Timberlake and Madonna, as he did last night, was icing on the cake.

From The Daily Beast

It's icing on the, well, ice that the film's story is as emotionally cascading as the setting.

From The Daily Beast

The leather gloves are just icing on the weird, fabulous cake.

From The Daily Beast

Part of it is deposited and frozen, and by increments the icing of these monstrous "cakes" is built up.

From Project Gutenberg

Before serving, sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, or if desired, ice with white icing with grated cocoanut sprinkled on top.

From Project Gutenberg

Put over boiling water, stirring continually until the icing grates slightly on bottom of bowl.

From Project Gutenberg

If pink icing is desired add one tablespoon strawberry or other fruit juice.

From Project Gutenberg

For Chocolate Icing use above, adding 1½ ounces melted unsweetened chocolate or 4½ tablespoons cocoa after removing from fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cream
• glaze