thaw

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [V] ~ (out) (of ice and snow) to turn back into water after being frozen: The snow started to thaw as the temperature kept up. * The country was slowly thawing out after the long cold winter. OPPFREEZE 2 [V] when it thaws or is thawing, the weather becomes warm enough to melt snow and ice: It's starting to thaw. 3 ~ (sth) (out) to become, or to let frozen food become, soft or liquid ready for cooking compareDEFROST, DE-ICE, UNFREEZE: [V] Leave the meat to thaw completely before cooking. [often VN] 4 ~ (sth) (out) to become, or make sth become, a normal temperature after being very cold: [V] I could feel my ears and toes start to thaw out. [also VN] 5 [V] ~ (out) to become more friendly and less formal: Relations between the two countries thawed a little after the talks. * The atmosphere slowly began to thaw. noun 1 [C,usually sing.] a period of warmer weather following one of cold weather, causing snow and ice to melt: The river doubles in size during the spring thaw. 2 [sing.] ~ (in sth) a situation in which the relations between two enemy countries become more friendly: a thaw in relations with China