frost

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. weather that is cold enough for ice to form on the ground.

n. a period of weather during which the temperature remains below the freezing point of water.

“The heavy frost last night killed most of the flowers in the garden.”

“Meteorologists warned that a hard frost was expected overnight, potentially damaging the early-season fruit crops across the valley.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Cooking American English

v. to cover a cake or cookie with a sweet, creamy mixture called icing.

v. to cover a cake or other baked good with icing or frosting.

“Wait for the cupcakes to cool down before you frost them.”

“The pastry chef began to frost the tiered wedding cake with a smooth layer of vanilla buttercream, ensuring every edge was perfectly sharp.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate

v. to become covered with a thin layer of ice crystals.

v. to become covered with frost or to cover a surface with a substance that mimics the appearance of frost.

“The windows began to frost over as the temperature inside the car dropped.”

“The designer chose to frost the glass partitions in the office to provide privacy while still allowing natural light to filter through.”

C1 · Advanced Informal

v. to bleach small pieces of hair to make them much lighter than the rest.

v. to bleach individual strands of hair while leaving the surrounding hair its natural colour.

“She went to the salon to have her hair frosted for the summer.”

“The stylist suggested frosting a few sections around her face to create a sun-kissed effect without dyeing her entire head.”

C2 · Proficiency Informal · American English

v. to make someone feel angry or annoyed.

v. to anger, irritate, or annoy someone. This use is transitive and takes a person as the object.

“It really frosts me when people don't clean up after their pets.”

“What really frosts the manager is the lack of communication between the sales team and the warehouse staff regarding inventory levels.”