ice English · revision 3248

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725, Beowulf|origins=gem-pro *īsą}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /aɪs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|is]],^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|īs|t=ice, piece of ice]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) also the name of the rune for i,^(Etymonline) from [[gem-pro|*īsą|alt=*īsa-]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Old Norse íss, Dutch ijs and German Eis,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline) Its possible relatives include Avestan isu- “icy” and aēxa- “frost”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) and Barnhart traces it to [[ine-pro|*eis-]].^(Barnhart 1988) The modern spelling, which makes the word look French, began to appear in the 15th century.^(Etymonline) The verb is from the noun.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old English īs is found about 725, in ''Beowulf'';^(Barnhart 1988) a piece or mass of ice and the ice on a river or lake are from about 900.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, “to cover with ice”, is from about 1400.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) ''Ice-cold'' is already Old English.^(Barnhart 1988) To cover cakes with sugar, to ''ice'' them, is from 1602,^(OED 1989) and people iced food before 1600, though the noun [[icing]] is recorded only from the late 17th century.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Iced cream'' is from 1688 and ''ice cream'' from 1744,^(Barnhart 1988) shortened to ''ice'' by the mid-18th century.^(Cresswell 2021) ''To break the ice'' first meant making a passage for boats through a frozen river, 1579–80,^(OED 1989) and by the mid-16th century “to begin an undertaking, broach a subject”;^(Cresswell 2021) in modern use it implies overcoming cold reserve.^(Etymonline) Ice has stood for a cold, unfriendly manner since at least Shakespeare's time.^(Cresswell 2021) ''On ice'', “kept until wanted”, is from 1890,^(Etymonline) and ''thin ice'' in the figurative sense from 1884.^(Etymonline) In slang, ''ice'' has meant diamonds since 1906^(Etymonline) and crystal methamphetamine since the late 20th century.^(Cresswell 2021) Ice skates are from 1662, in Pepys' diary.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English īs.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1400 – verb, to cover with ice.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1579–80 – ''to break the ice''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1602 – verb, to cover a cake with sugar.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1662 – ice skates.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1744 – ''ice cream''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1884 – ''thin ice''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1890 – ''on ice''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1906 – diamonds (slang).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Water frozen solid.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A layer or sheet of frozen water, as on a lake or a [[rink]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # A frozen dessert of flavoured crushed ice; an [[ice cream]].^(AHD)^(Cresswell 2021)

+ # Coldness of manner; unfriendliness.^(AHD)^(Cresswell 2021)

+ # ''(slang)'' [[diamond|alt=Diamonds]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(slang)'' Crystal [[methamphetamine]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cover with ice; to [[freeze]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To cool with ice.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To cover a cake with [[icing]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(informal)'' To make a win certain; to [[clinch]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[iceless]]

+ * [[icelike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[icy]]

+ * [[icing]]

+ * [[iceberg]]

+ * [[icicle]]

+ * [[ice cream]]

+ * [[ice age]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}