# ice

/ˈaɪs/ (US) · /ˈaɪs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/ice
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. frozen water

noun · CEFR A1

water that has become solid because it is very cold.

For teachers: water in its solid crystalline state due to freezing temperatures. Uncountable in its general sense.

- He put two cubes of ice into his glass of water to make it cold.
- The hikers were warned that the thin ice on the lake would not support their weight during the spring thaw.

### 2. frozen dessert

noun · CEFR B1

a sweet, frozen food made from fruit juice and sugar.

For teachers: a frozen confection typically composed of water, sugar, and fruit flavourings; distinct from dairy-based ice cream.

- The children enjoyed a lemon ice on the beach during the hot afternoon.
- For dessert, the chef prepared a refreshing raspberry ice to cleanse the palate after the heavy main course.

### 3. diamonds

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Informal

a slang word for diamonds or expensive jewellery.

For teachers: a slang term for diamonds or high-value jewellery, often used in hip-hop culture or crime fiction.

- The rapper was wearing a lot of ice around his neck at the awards show.
- The heist movie focused on a group of thieves attempting to steal millions of dollars worth of ice from a high-security vault.

### 5. to cool or chill

verb · CEFR B1

to make something cold by putting ice on it or around it.

For teachers: to chill a beverage or food item using ice; also used in medicine to treat inflammation.

- You should ice your ankle for twenty minutes to stop the swelling.
- The caterers began to ice the champagne bottles hours before the guests were scheduled to arrive for the reception.

### 6. to cover with frosting

verb · CEFR B1

to cover a cake or biscuit with a sweet sugar coating.

For teachers: to apply icing or frosting to a baked good. Transitive use.

- Wait for the cupcakes to cool down before you ice them.
- The baker carefully began to ice the wedding cake with a smooth layer of royal icing.

### 7. to murder

verb · CEFR C2 · Slang · Vulgar

a slang word meaning to kill someone.

For teachers: to murder or assassinate someone. Highly informal and typically found in crime-related contexts.

- In the movie, the gangster ordered his men to ice the witness.
- The protagonist feared that the syndicate would ice him if he failed to deliver the stolen documents by midnight.

### 8. made of ice

adjective · CEFR A2

made of or relating to ice.

For teachers: composed of ice or occurring on ice. Often used as an attributive adjective.

- The ice rink was crowded with families on Saturday morning.
- The expedition team struggled to navigate the treacherous ice fields during the peak of the Antarctic winter.

## Examples

- The lake is covered in thick ice.
- Be careful walking on the sidewalk because there is a thin layer of ice from last night's storm.
- Climate scientists monitor the thickness of Arctic ice to track how rising global temperatures affect the planet's overall cooling systems and sea levels.

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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.