I. frost 1 /frɒst $ frɒːst/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: related to freeze ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] very cold weather, when water freezes
late/early/first frost
Even in May we can sometimes get a late frost.
hard/heavy/sharp/severe frost (=extremely cold weather)
three continuous nights of hard frost
the risk of frost damage to crops
2 . [uncountable] ice that looks white and powdery and covers things that are outside when the temperature is very cold:
The grass and trees were white with frost.
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COLLOCATIONS (for Meanings 1 & 2)
■ adjectives
▪ a severe frost (=when the temperature falls several degrees below freezing point)
Many plants were damaged by the severe frost.
▪ a hard/heavy frost (=a severe frost)
We’ve had three continuous nights of hard frost.
▪ a sharp frost (=a sudden severe frost)
There had been a sharp frost overnight.
▪ ground frost (=frost that forms only on the ground)
Scotland should have a dry night, with a touch of ground frost in northern glens.
▪ an early frost (=one that happens before winter)
I hoped the early frost wasn’t a sign of a bad winter to come.
▪ a late frost (=one that happens in late spring)
There’s always the danger of a late frost killing the buds.
■ verbs
▪ the frost melts
The frost was gradually melting.
▪ be covered in frost
The lawn was covered in frost.
▪ protect something against frost
The plants need to be protected against frost.
■ frost + NOUN
▪ frost damage (=damage to plants, caused by frost)
Some crop regions may have suffered frost damage.
II. frost 2 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
especially American English to cover a cake with a mixture of powdery sugar and liquid SYN ice British English
frost over/up phrasal verb
to become covered in frost:
Overnight all the windowpanes had frosted over.