Word of the Day: Frost

frost / ˈfrȯst

 

noun

 

1. a covering of tiny frozen crystals, created from the atmosphere during the night

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

J.R.R. Tolkien, 1892-1973

 

2. the act or process of freezing

The first and last frosts are the worst.

George Herbert, 1593-1633

 

3. cold manner

The frost in his voice cooled any misconceptions she’d made.

from ‘Summer Kisses: A Clean Romance’ by Melinda Curtis, ?-

 

verb

 

1. to cover a cake with icing

A simply and beautifully frosted cake needs no further decoration if you take the time to do it right – but rainbow sprinkles or chopped nuts hide a multitude of frosting sins, so don’t fret if it’s not perfect.

Melissa Clark, ?-, cooking.nytimes.com/guides/20-how-to-frost-a-cake

 

2. to cover with tiny ice needles

November is chill, frosted mornings with a silver sun rising behind the trees, red cardinals at the feeders and squirrels running scallops along the tops of the gray stone walls.

from ‘The Shape of a Year’ by Jean Hersey, 1902-?

 

3. to kill or badly hurt due to being frozen over

Puddles had a thin layer of ice and the plants were frosted over.

from ‘The Good Living’ by Gary Barnhart, ?-

4. to infuriate

But one thing that still frosts me is when you hold the door for a person and that person doesn’t say thank you.

Kevin Cowherd, ?-, ‘Open-and-shut case of rudeness’, The Baltimore Sun, March 6, 1995