1 B1 neutral
For a body of water to become covered with ice.
"The pond iced over completely during the cold snap last week."
inseparable
ice over
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
For a surface to become covered with a layer of ice.
In plain English
When something (like a lake or road) gets covered with ice.
What does "ice over" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
For a road, path, or surface to become covered with dangerous ice.
"Be careful driving tonight — the roads could ice over by morning."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
For ice to form over a surface — quite transparent.
Actually means
When something (like a lake or road) gets covered with ice.
Usage tip
Commonly used for roads, lakes, ponds, windshields, and other surfaces. Usually describes a natural process happening overnight or in cold weather. Used in both British and American English.
Words that pair with "ice over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
lake pond road windshield path runway
How to conjugate "ice over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
ice over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
ices over
he/she/it
Past simple
iced over
yesterday
Past participle
iced over
have + pp
-ing form
icing over
continuous
Hear "ice over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "ice over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.