frost up

frost up

1. To become coated with a thin layer of ice. If the ground frosts up tonight, we'll have a much harder time digging into it tomorrow. I can't believe the lake hasn't frosted up yet—it's almost Christmas! The temperature's supposed to drop tonight, so you better cover your flowers—otherwise, they'll frost up.

2. To cause something to become coated with a thin layer of ice. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "frost" and "up." I'm worried that the cold temperatures tonight will frost the ground up. Ugh, this frigid wind is going to frost up the puddles on the driveway, isn't it? The weather's been too warm to frost up the pond.

See also: frost, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

frost up

v.

1. To become covered with frost: The windows frosted up quickly when the temperature dropped.

2. To cause something to become covered with frost: The freezing air frosted up the windows. Our breath frosted the mirrors up.

See also: frost, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.