Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Containing or covered with ice.
  • adjective Bitterly cold; freezing: synonym: cold.
  • adjective Unfriendly or hostile.
  • adjective Showing no emotion.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Pertaining to, composed of, produced by, resembling, or abounding with ice: as, an icy surface; icy coldness; the icy regions of the north.
  • Figuratively, characterized by coldness or coolness, as of manner, influence, etc.; frigid; chilling; freezing; indifferent.
  • Synonyms Frosty, cold-hearted, stoṅy.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Pertaining to, resembling, or abounding in, ice; cold; frosty.
  • adjective Characterized by coldness, as of manner, influence, etc.; chilling; frigid; cold.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Pertaining to, resembling, or abounding in ice; cold; frosty.
  • adjective Covered with ice, wholly or partially.
  • adjective Characterized by coldness, as of manner, influence, etc.; chilling; frigid; cold.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
  • adjective covered with or containing or consisting of ice
  • adjective shiny and slick as with a thin coating of ice
  • adjective extremely cold

Etymologies

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Examples

  • She stopped and looked up at him, her expression icy.

    Crimson Wind Diana Pharaoh Francis 2011

  • People will expect it to be pronounced like the word icy, or they may expect it to be spelled “Izzy.”

    5-Star Baby Name Advisor Bruce Lansky 2008

  • People will expect it to be pronounced like the word icy, or they may expect it to be spelled “Izzy.”

    5-Star Baby Name Advisor Bruce Lansky 2008

  • He remembers hearing a loud screeching in his ears and what he describes as an icy pain enveloped him.

    STRANGE NEW WORLDS Dean Wesley Smith 1998

  • He remembers hearing a loud screeching in his ears and what he describes as an icy pain enveloped him.

    STRANGE NEW WORLDS Dean Wesley Smith 1998

  • I am a "winter" but do not look good in icy yellow, hot pink or any green in my palette.

    Paintings With Multi-Generations of Women 2009

  • I grew up in icy west Jersey and was interested in a career in the NHL.

    Hockey Time « Awful Library Books 2010

  • In terms of comments where you potentially juxtapose members of the SF with BNP, you are skating on a very thin icy veneer.

    Ruralshire Constabulary lost data scandal! « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2008

  • He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, rolled down the window to let in icy air, then said "No. Not since the funeral."

    DATE MYRA SHOWS UP Maggie Jochild 2007

  • In my defence against the parking fine, written calmly in icy cold language, I pointed out that the ticket issuer would see from the current year's road fund licence displayed alongside, that I am (extinct, disbarred crikey my brain is tired, what's the word?) ... exempt ... (that's the one!) by being disabled.

    300 dollars Dave Hingsburger 2007

Comments

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  • One of the most expressive words around, and so sharp and surprising in its smallness.

    November 24, 2007

  • Yes, exactly! Which makes me wonder why it wasn't already on my three-letter words list...

    I wonder if WeirdNet just goes crazy looking for the least-used definition. I would think "icy" is most commonly used as "covered with ice." Maybe not.

    November 24, 2007

  • 'That's very tiny,'

    she says (probes his kimono);

    icy December,

    the Rose shut, she ugly - what's

    expected, the HINDENBURG?

    - Peter Reading, Tanka, from Tom O' Bedlam's Beauties, 1981

    Note: 'tiny' in the original is in small type.

    June 29, 2008

  • Sounds like the letters I C.

    October 28, 2009