FROST


Meaning of FROST in English

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.

• • •

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.

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.