— frostless , adj. — frostlike , adj.
/frawst, frost/ , n.
1. a degree or state of coldness sufficient to cause the freezing of water.
2. Also called hoarfrost . a covering of minute ice needles, formed from the atmosphere at night upon the ground and exposed objects when they have cooled by radiation below the dew point, and when the dew point is below the freezing point.
3. the act or process of freezing.
4. coldness of manner or temperament: We noticed a definite frost in his greeting.
5. Informal. a coolness between persons.
6. Informal. something that meets with lack of enthusiasm, as a theatrical performance or party; failure; flop.
7. a milk shake, frappe, or similar drink: a chocolate frost.
8. degree of frost , Brit. the degree of temperature Fahrenheit below the freezing point: 10 degrees of frost is equivalent to 22°F.
v.t.
9. to cover with frost.
10. to give a frostlike surface to (glass, metal, etc.).
11. to ice (a cake, cookies, etc.).
12. to bleach selected strands of (a person's hair) in order to create highlights.
13. to kill or injure by frost: a freezing rain that badly frosted the tomato plants.
14. to make angry: I was frosted by his critical comment.
v.i.
15. to become covered with frost or freeze (often fol. by up or over ): The windshield has frosted over.
16. (of varnish, paint, etc.) to dry with a film resembling frost.
[ bef. 900; ME, OE frost, forst; c. OS, OHG, ON frost; akin to FREEZE ]
Syn. 4. aloofness, coolness, distance, remoteness.