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icepick

icepick

1 4.1
A tool with a sharp metal point used to break blocks of ice
  • noun
  • /ˈaɪspɪk/
translation icon : pico de hielo
  • Jeannie was the preacher's daughter, so Nola's mother would hunt them up a Mason jar apiece, plus the icepick and hammer to gouge air holes.

Examples

  • She uses the icepick on the ice, her back to him.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Can I borrow the icepick?

  • There is an icepick in the figure's hand.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • She takes it, starts to use the icepick, her back to him.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • With an icepick and a hammer, she deftly makes a large spidery crack in the round mirror.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • He used an icepick to break apart the large block of ice for the party.

  • The chef grabbed an icepick to chip off some ice for the drinks.

  • For the winter festival, we need an icepick to create ice sculptures.

Synonyms

pick
vsicepick
35 5.3

A heavy tool with a wooden handle used to break rock

is smaller and used specifically to break blocks of ice with a steel rod
ice pick
vsicepick
20 3.5

A metal tool with a sharp point that you use to break blocks of ice

has identical meaning but is written as one word rather than two
ice ax
vsicepick
  • Specialized
2 6.8

A tool with a sharp point and flat blade that cuts steps in ice and helps climbers stay safe

is for breaking ice blocks rather than for climbing support

Surface Forms

icepick singular
icepicks plural

Morphology

icepick = ice + pick (transparent) = ice + pick

The meaning is directly composed from 'ice' + 'pick' (a tool for picking/breaking ice) and is obvious to learners.

Etymology

The word icepick comes from the two simple words ice ('frozen water') and pick ('to pierce or break'). A pick is a small pointed tool used to pierce or break things, so an icepick is a pointed tool for breaking blocks of ice.