frost

¹

[ frawst, frost ]

noun

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. an opaque coating of tiny, white, granular ice particles, formed on the walls or contents of a freezer by the condensation of water vapor; rime.
4. the act or process of freezing.
5. coldness of manner or temperament:

   We noticed a definite frost in his greeting.

   Synonyms: reserve, distance, indifference, aloofness

6. Informal. a coolness between persons.
7. Informal. something that meets with lack of enthusiasm, as a theatrical performance or party; failure; flop.
8. a milkshake, frappe, or similar drink:

   a chocolate frost.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with frost.
2. to give a frostlike surface to (glass, metal, etc.).
3. to ice (a cake, cookies, etc.).
4. to bleach selected strands of (a person's hair) in order to create highlights.
5. to kill or injure by frost:

   a freezing rain that badly frosted the tomato plants.

6. to make angry:

   I was frosted by his critical comment.

verb (used without object)

1. to become covered with frost (often followed by up or over ):

   The windshield has frosted over.

2. (of varnish, paint, etc.) to dry with a film resembling frost.

Frost

²

[ frawst, frost ]

noun

1. Robert (Lee), 1874–1963, U.S. poet.

Frost

¹

/ frɒst /

noun

1. FrostSir David (Paradine)1939MBritishFILMS AND TV: television presenter Sir David ( Paradine ). born 1939, British television presenter and executive, noted esp for political interviews
2. FrostRobert (Lee)18741963MUSWRITING: poet Robert ( Lee ). 1874–1963, US poet, noted for his lyrical verse on country life in New England. His books include A Boy's Will (1913), North of Boston (1914), and New Hampshire (1923)

frost

²

/ frɒst /

noun

1. See hoarfrost
   a white deposit of ice particles, esp one formed on objects out of doors at night See also hoarfrost
2. an atmospheric temperature of below freezing point, characterized by the production of this deposit
3. degrees below freezing point: eight degrees of frost indicates a temperature of either –8°C or 24°F
4. informal.
   something given a cold reception; failure
5. informal.
   coolness of manner
6. the act of freezing

verb

1. to cover or be covered with frost
2. tr to give a frostlike appearance to (glass, etc), as by means of a fine-grained surface
3. tr to decorate (cakes, etc) with icing or frosting
4. tr to kill or damage (crops, etc) with frost

frost

/ frôst /

1. A deposit of tiny, white ice crystals on a surface. Frost forms through sublimation, when water vapor in the air condenses at a temperature below freezing. It gets its white color from tiny air bubbles trapped in the ice crystals.
2. See more at dew point

Derived Forms

• ˈfrostˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• frostless adjective
• frostlike adjective
• un·frost verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of frost¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English frost, forst; cognate with Old Saxon, Old High German, Old Norse frost; akin to freeze

Word History and Origins

Origin of frost¹

Old English frost ; related to Old Norse, Old Saxon, Old High German frost ; see freeze

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. degree of frost, British. the degree of temperature Fahrenheit below the freezing point:

   10 degrees of frost is equivalent to 22°F.

Example Sentences

Frost and Central Florida finished 13-0 and mastered Auburn in a New Year’s Six game.

From Washington Post

Lows range through the 30s with frost likely in our colder suburbs.

From Washington Post

Low temperatures dip into the mid- to upper 30s, but thanks to the well-stirred atmosphere, we shouldn’t have widespread frosts or freezes.

From Washington Post

The top Brexit negotiators — for the EU, Michel Barnier, and for the UK, David Frost — said they would talk early next week, though Frost told Barnier not to come to London unless the EU has a new plan, according to the Guardian.

From Vox

The category is projected to be worth $50 billion by 2025, according to Frost and Sullivan, a marketing consulting firm.

From Outside Online

The lyrical declamation has inspired luminaries ranging from Kurt Vonnegut to Robert Frost.

From The Daily Beast

And, eventually, who repented – famously on television during a remarkable series of interviews with David Frost.

From The Daily Beast

You'd put a scarf across your nose and mouth and when you breathed through it, it would get all white with frost.

From The Daily Beast

Whereas Lane Frost more or less lived the life that embodied the ideal.

From The Daily Beast

In 1987, Lane Frost won the championship of bullriding, and won the biggest buckle you can win.

From The Daily Beast

In these archipelagos the waters being shallow, the frost was quite intense enough to cool them to the bottom.

From Project Gutenberg

He shall pour frost as salt upon the earth: and when it freezeth, it shall become like the tops of thistles.

From Project Gutenberg

Moreover, though a land of frost, it is very windy, the wind being nearly always a cold one.

From Project Gutenberg

The day had been intensely cold, with a biting north-east wind and black frost.

From Project Gutenberg

Before morning old Jack Frost snapped his fingers and the whole world was encased in ice.

From Project Gutenberg