n. & v.
n. 1 a frozen water, a brittle transparent crystalline solid. b a sheet of this on the surface of water (fell through the ice). 2 Brit. a portion of ice-cream or water-ice (would you like an ice?). 3 sl. diamonds.
v. 1 tr. mix with or cool in ice (iced drinks). 2 tr. & intr. (often foll. by over, up) a cover or become covered with ice. b freeze. 3 tr. cover (a cake etc.) with icing. ice age a glacial period, esp. in the Pleistocene epoch. ice-axe a tool used by mountain-climbers for cutting footholds. ice-bag an ice-filled rubber bag for medical use. ice-blue a very pale blue. ice-boat 1 a boat mounted on runners for travelling on ice. 2 a boat used for breaking ice on a river etc. ice-bound confined by ice. ice-breaker 1 = ice-boat 2. 2 something that serves to relieve inhibitions, start a conversation, etc. ice bucket a bucket-like container with chunks of ice, used to keep a bottle of wine chilled. ice-cap a permanent covering of ice e.g. in polar regions. ice-cold as cold as ice. ice-cream a sweet creamy frozen food, usu. flavoured. ice-cube a small block of ice made in a refrigerator. ice-fall a steep part of a glacier like a frozen waterfall. ice-field an expanse of ice, esp. in polar regions. ice-fish a capelin. ice floe = FLOE. ice hockey a form of hockey played on ice with a puck. ice house a building often partly or wholly underground for storing ice. ice (or iced) lolly Brit. a piece of flavoured ice, often with chocolate or ice-cream, on a stick. ice-pack 1 = pack ice. 2 a quantity of ice applied to the body for medical etc. purposes. ice-pick a needle-like implement with a handle for splitting up small pieces of ice. ice-plant a plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum, with leaves covered with crystals or vesicles looking like ice specks. ice-rink = RINK n. 1. ice-skate n. a skate consisting of a boot with a blade beneath, for skating on ice.
v.intr. skate on ice. ice-skater a person who skates on ice. ice station a meteorological research centre in polar regions. on ice 1 (of an entertainment, sport, etc.) performed by skaters. 2 colloq. held in reserve; awaiting further attention. on thin ice in a risky situation.
[ OE is f. Gmc ]