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Glite Dictionary
icebound

icebound

7.7
Thick ice surrounds ships and harbors, stopping boats and blocking access
  • adjective
  • /ˈaɪsˌbaʊnd/
translation icon : bloqueado por hielo
  • The research vessel remained icebound for weeks, unable to break free from the frozen waters.

Examples

  • The expedition team found themselves icebound on the glacier, with temperatures plummeting overnight.

  • Whatever the Arctic Ocean is icebound today, it might possibly become open to navigation once again, but not in my lifetime, I imagine.

    Blog text (9)

  • During the winter, many fishing boats become icebound in the harbor, stranded until the spring thaw.

Synonyms

frozen
vsicebound
1 1.0

Covered with ice because of very cold weather

is surrounded or trapped by build up of sea or river ice
ice-clogged
vsicebound
  • UK
7.1

A place where ice blocks the way so people or vehicles cannot move through

is completely surrounded or trapped rather than merely obstructed
frost-bound
vsicebound
  • UK
7.6

Land made hard and frozen so people and vehicles cannot pass

is surrounded or trapped by sea or river ice rather than hard ground

Antonyms

ice-free
6 3.7

An area of water or land without ice that is open for travel

How Trapped

icebound
7.7
blocked
1.7
stuck
∞ 1.0
free
155 1.0

Surface Forms

icebound positive

Morphology

icebound = ice + bound (transparent) = ice + bound

Direct combination of 'ice' + 'bound' meaning 'bound/held by ice', which learners can readily infer from the base words.

Etymology

Icebound is made from ice and bound, where bound means 'tied' or 'held', so icebound means 'held by ice'. That's why we use it for ships or places that are surrounded and stuck by ice.