killing frost

American  

noun

1. the occurrence of temperatures cold enough to kill all but the hardiest vegetation, especially the last such occurrence in spring and the first in fall, events that limit the agricultural growing season.

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Example Sentences

“The killing frost is on the ground and autumn leaves are gone”: a simple line from this new record that contains the proverbial multitudes.

From The Guardian • Jun. 24, 2020

Typically, going back at least 20 years, the last killing frost was in late March or April.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2016

And the city may see its first killing frost between tonight and tomorrow morning, and there’s a “Freeze Watch” in effect.

From New York Times • Nov. 23, 2015

New England's culture had begun to go to seed before the Civil War, but the war acted as an almost killing frost.

From Time Magazine Archive

Here and there wildflowers dared to dance in full summer dress, forgetting that any night might bring a killing frost.

From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson