Library / English Dictionary

FROST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

United States poet famous for his lyrical poems on country life in New England (1874-1963)

Synonyms:

Frost; Robert Frost; Robert Lee Frost

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Instance hypernyms:

poet (a writer of poems (the term is usually reserved for writers of good poetry))

Derivation:

Frostian (of or relating to or in the manner of Robert Frost)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Weather cold enough to cause freezing

Synonyms:

freeze; frost

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Hypernyms ("frost" is a kind of...):

cold weather (a period of unusually cold weather)

Derivation:

frost (damage by frost)

frosty (pleasantly cold and invigorating)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The formation of frost or ice on a surface

Synonyms:

frost; icing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("frost" is a kind of...):

freeze; freezing (the withdrawal of heat to change something from a liquid to a solid)

Derivation:

frost (cover with frost)

frosty (covered with frost)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside)

Synonyms:

frost; hoar; hoarfrost; rime

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("frost" is a kind of...):

ice; water ice (water frozen in the solid state)

Derivation:

frost (cover with frost)

frosty (covered with frost)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Damage by frost

Example:

The icy precipitation frosted the flowers and they turned brown

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "frost" is one way to...):

damage (inflict damage upon)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

frost (weather cold enough to cause freezing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Cover with frost

Example:

ice crystals frosted the glass

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "frost" is one way to...):

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

frost (the formation of frost or ice on a surface)

frost (ice crystals forming a white deposit (especially on objects outside))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Provide with a rough or speckled surface or appearance

Example:

she frosts her hair

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "frost" is one way to...):

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Decorate with frosting

Example:

frost a cake

Synonyms:

frost; ice

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "frost" is one way to...):

cover (provide with a covering or cause to be covered)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

frosting (a flavored sugar topping used to coat and decorate cakes)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Frosts will soon set in, and in all probability with severity.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

The goose we retained until this morning, when there were signs that, in spite of the slight frost, it would be well that it should be eaten without unnecessary delay.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Scientists think this bright material could be predominantly methane that has condensed as ice onto the peaks from Pluto's atmosphere, like water in Earth's atmosphere, condensing as frost at high altitude.

(Methane Snow on Pluto’s Peaks, NASA)

The lack of sufficient water to carve gullies has resulted in a variety of theories for the gullies' creation, including different mechanisms involving evaporation of water and carbon dioxide frost.

(Mars Gullies Likely Not Formed by Liquid Water, NASA)

In full eclipse, the atmosphere effectively collapses, as most of the sulfur dioxide gas settles as frost on the moon’s surface.

(New Research Reveals Fluctuating Atmosphere of Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon, NASA)

Venus will glide in earth-sign Taurus from March 4 to April 3, and this lovely placement adds the frosting on the cake for a spectacular month, so you will have many tender evenings in store.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

My feet were stinging from the bite of the frost, and I hoped fervently that the sun would shine.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Frost opens chestnut burrs, ma'am, and it takes a good shake to bring them down.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It was a fine, clear, January day, wet under foot where the frost had melted, but cloudless overhead; and the Regent’s Park was full of winter chirrupings and sweet with spring odours.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The ground covered with snow, and the atmosphere in that unsettled state between frost and thaw, which is of all others the most unfriendly for exercise, every morning beginning in rain or snow, and every evening setting in to freeze, she was for many days a most honourable prisoner.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)