# frost

/ˈfɹɔst/ (US) · /fɹˈɒst/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/frost
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. ice crystals

noun · CEFR B1

a thin, white layer of ice that forms on surfaces like grass or windows when it is very cold.

For teachers: a deposit of small white ice crystals formed on the ground or other surfaces when the temperature falls below freezing.

- The grass was white with frost when we woke up this morning.
- A delicate layer of frost coated the windshield, requiring several minutes of scraping before the driver could safely see the road.

### 2. freezing weather

noun · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to ice a cake

verb · CEFR B2 · American English

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

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to cover with ice

verb · CEFR B2

to become covered with a thin layer of ice crystals.

For teachers: 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.

### 5. to highlight hair

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

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

For teachers: 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.

### 6. to annoy

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal · American English

to make someone feel angry or annoyed.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The grass is white with frost this morning.
- Farmers are worried that an early frost might kill the delicate orange blossoms before they can turn into fruit.
- The windowpanes were etched with intricate patterns of frost, obscuring the view of the frozen garden beyond with a delicate, crystalline lattice.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.