thaw

American  

[thaw] / θɔ /

verb (used without object)

1. to pass or change from a frozen to a liquid or semiliquid state; melt.

   Antonyms:

   freeze

2. to be freed from the physical effect of frost or extreme cold (sometimes followed byout ).

   Sit by the fire and thaw out.

   Synonyms:

   warm

3. (of the weather) to become warm enough to melt ice and snow.

   It will probably thaw today.

4. to become less formal, reserved, or aloof.

   He thawed at their kindness.

5. to become less hostile or tense.

   International relations thawed.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause to change from a frozen to a liquid or semiliquid state; melt.

2. to free from the physical effect of frost or extreme cold; bring to a more normal temperature, especially to room temperature.

   I took the steaks out of the freezer and thawed them.

3. to make less cold, formal, or reserved.

   Synonyms:

   warm

4. to make less tense or hostile.

noun

1. the act or process of thawing.

2. the act or fact of becoming less formal, reserved, or aloof.

3. a reduction or easing in tension or hostility.

4. (in winter or in areas where freezing weather is the norm) weather warm enough to melt ice and snow.

5. a period of such weather.

   We had a two-week thaw in January.

6. the thaw, the first day in the year when ice in harbors, rivers, etc., breaks up or loosens enough to begin flowing to the sea, allowing navigation.

   The Anchorage thaw came on May 18th.

thaw British  

/ θɔː /

verb

1. to melt or cause to melt from a solid frozen state

   the snow thawed

2. to become or cause to become unfrozen; defrost

3. (intr) to be the case that the ice or snow is melting

   it's thawing fast

4. (intr) to become more sociable, relaxed, or friendly

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noun

1. the act or process of thawing

2. a spell of relatively warm weather, causing snow or ice to melt

3. an increase in relaxation or friendliness

Related Words

See melt ¹.

Other Word Forms

• rethaw verb
• thawer noun
• thawless adjective
• underthaw verb
• unthawed adjective
• unthawing adjective

Etymology

Origin of thaw

First recorded before 1000; (verb) Middle English thawen, Old English thawian; cognate with Dutch dooien, Old Norse theyja; (noun) late Middle English, derivative of the verb

Example Sentences

His eyes land like frost on mine before his lips pull into a smile, thawing them.

From Literature

This week, Aylin Woodward reports on researchers in Germany who managed to freeze mouse-brain tissue in a way that preserved its circuits and functionality after thawing.

From The Wall Street Journal

This month, the State Department said it was restoring diplomatic ties with Venezuela in a sign of thawing relations.

From Barron's

Seasonal freezing and thawing of the ground caused fossils to break apart and shift toward the surface through a process known as cryoturbation.

From Science Daily

This month, the State Department said it was restoring diplomatic ties with Venezuela in a sign of thawing relations after Maduro's ouster.

From Barron's

Related Words

• defrost
• dissolve
• loosen
• melt
• relax
• soften
• warm up