ice
Pronunciation: (īs), [key]
— n., v., adj. iced, ic•ing,
—n.
- the solid form of water, produced by freezing; frozen water.
- the frozen surface of a body of water.
- any substance resembling frozen water: camphor ice.
- a frozen dessert made of sweetened water and fruit juice.
- See
- icing, as on a cake.
- reserve; formality: The ice of his manner betrayed his dislike of the new ambassador.
-
- a diamond or diamonds.
- protection money paid to the police by the operator of an illicit business.
- a fee that a ticket broker pays to a theater manager in order to receive a favorable allotment of tickets.
- The chairman broke the ice with his warm and very amusing remarks.
- to succeed initially; make a beginning.
- to overcome reserve, awkwardness, or formality within a group, as in introducing persons:The chairman broke the ice with his warm and very amusing remarks.
- to have no influence or importance; fail to impress: Her father's position cuts no ice with me.
- Now that the contract is on ice we can begin operating again.
- with a good chance of success or realization:Now that the contract is on ice we can begin operating again.
- out of activity, as in confinement or imprisonment.
- in a state of abeyance or readiness:Let's put that topic on ice for the moment.
- in a precarious or delicate situation: You may pass the course, but you're on thin ice right now.
—v.t.
- to cover with ice.
- to change into ice; freeze.
- to cool with ice, as a drink.
- to cover (cake, sweet rolls, etc.) with icing; frost.
- to refrigerate with ice, as air.
- to make cold, as if with ice.
- to preserve by placing on ice.
- (esp. in Canada) to put (a team) into formal play.
- We'll ice the deal tomorrow.
- to settle or seal; make sure of, as by signing a contract:We'll ice the deal tomorrow.
- to make (a business arrangement) more attractive by adding features or benefits:The star pitcher wouldn't sign his new contract until the team iced it with a big bonus.
- to kill, esp. to murder:The mobsters threatened to ice him if he went to the police.
- to establish a winning score or insurmountable lead in or otherwise assure victory in (a game or contest): Her second goal iced the game.
—v.i.
- to change to ice; freeze: The sherbet is icing in the refrigerator.
- to be coated with ice (often fol. by up): The windshield has iced up.
- stop it; that's enough: You've been complaining all day, so ice it.
- to hit the puck to the far end of the rink, esp. from the defensive area across the offensive area.
—adj.
- of or made of ice: ice shavings; an ice sculpture.
- for holding ice and food or drink to be chilled: an ice bucket; an ice chest.
- on or done on the ice: ice yachting.
-ice
- a suffix of nouns, indicating state or quality, appearing in loanwords from French: notice.
Ice.
- Iceland.
- Icelandic.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.