a. [f. FROST sb. + -Y1; OE. had the equivalent fyrstiȝ; cf. Du. vorstig, OHG. frostag (MHG. vrostec, -ic, mod.Ger. frostig).]
1. Affected with or characterized by frost; reduced to a temperature at or below freezing-point; ice-cold.
c. 900. trans. Bæda’s Hist., III. xiv. [xix.] (1890), 217. & se winter wære grim & cald & fyrstig.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 2. In the frosty contrey called Trace.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 79. Whanne a bodi breþiþ wiþ þe mouþ in frosty wedir … þou myȝt se þe breeþ.
1557. Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 171. The sparrow in the frosty nyght, May shroude her in the eaues.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 231. In Frosty weather, Musick within doors soundeth better; which may be, by reason not of the disposition of the Air, but of the Wood or String of the Instrument.
1710. Swift, Lett. (1767), III. 45. It has been fair two or three days, and is this day grown cold and frosty.
1765. Akenside, Pleas. Imag., II. 339. The frosty moon Glittering on some smooth sea.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. v. 251. If the winter set in with clear frosty weather.
1864. Tennyson, Boädicea, 75. The noise of frosty woodlands, when they shiver in January.
† b. Belonging to the winter-season. Obs.
c. 1381. Chaucer, Parl. Foules, 364. The throstel old; the frosty feldefare.
2. transf. and fig. Cold as frost; chilling; without ardor or warmth of feeling, frigid.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 173, Thisbe. How kysseth she his frosty mouthe so colde?
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 36. She red and hot … He red for shame, but frosty in desire.
1599. B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Hum., Dram. Pers. Asper … One whom no … frosty apprehension of danger, can make to be a parasite.
1605. Tryall Chev., II. iii., in Bullen, O. Pl., III. 295.
| Her father I have mov’d to gayne my love, | |
| But he is frosty in my fervent suite; | |
| And now perforce I will obtayne her love | |
| Or ease her puling hatred by revenge. |
1726. Adv. Capt. R. Boyle, 83. Death still bore to me a frosty Sound.
1833. Carlyle, in Froude, Carlyle (1882), II. xvi. 381. He [Jeffrey] now writes to Jane in the frostiest … manner.
1871. Palgrave, Lyr. Poems, 77.
| Fenced from the frosty gales of ill | |
| Man slips through life unmade, unbraced. |
3. Covered with or consisting of hoar-frost.
1577. B. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., III. (1586), 141. The frostye Grasse … fils their bellies full of water.
c. 1586. C’tess Pembroke, Ps. LXXIV. xvi.
| The summers corny crowne, | |
| The winters frosty gowne, | |
| Nought but thy badge, thy lyvery are. |
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxxi. 424. The dormitory decked itself on the instant with a frosty forest of feathers [when the cold outside air was let in], and it now rejoices in a drapery as gray as a cygnet’s breast.
4. Having the appearance of being covered with frost. a. Of the hair: Hoary, white.
14[?]. Circumcision, in Tundale’s Vis., 85. Janus bifrons … With frosty berd.
1579. E. K., in Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., Feb. Embleme, So the old man checketh the rash-headed boy for despysing his gray and frostye heares.
1625. Hart, The Anatomie of Urines, II. ix. 117. Where was old frostie father gray-beard (Saturne I meane) and angrie Mars?
1794. Burns, John Anderson my Jo. Your locks are like the snaw; But blessings on your frosty pow, John Anderson my jo.
b. Hence, Characteristic of old age.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., V. iii. 77. If my frostie signes and chaps of age … Cannot induce you to attend my words.
1863. Hawthorne, Our old Home, 257. That dreary picture of Lear, an explosion of frosty fury.
c. spec. in Entom. Of a glistening white color. Also frosty white.
1698. J. Petiver, in Phil. Trans., XX. 396. The Sides are grey or frosty.
18[?]. Packard (Cent. Dict.). When seen laterally the surface appears frosty white.
5. Comb. a. adverbial, as † frosty cold; b. parasynthetic, as frosty-natured, -spirited, -whiskered; frosty-face slang (see quot. 1785); also attrib.
1413. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton, 1483), IV. xx. 67. Now thou art *frosty cold, now fyry hote.
1753. A. Murphy, Gray’s-Inn Journal, No. 48, ¶ 11. My Friend’s Wife damned ugly in a Morning—A *frosty Face Devil.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar Tongue, Frosty face, one pitted with the small pox.
1618. Dekker, Owles Almanacke. Men are so *frosty natur’d.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., II. iii. 21. What a *Frosty-spirited rogue is this?
1852. R. S. Surtees, Sponge’s Sp. Tour (1893), 35. His old brandy-nosed, *frosty-whiskered trumpeter of a groom.
Hence Frostily adv., Frostiness. Also † Frosty v., to make to look frosty, cover with ice.
1596. Lodge, Marg. Amer., C ij. But when againe her morrow-gathered Ice The morne displaies, and frostieth drouping leaues.
1616. B. Jonson, Epigr., lii. I rather thou should’st utterly Dispraise my work, than praise it frostily.
1720. Welton, Suffer. Son of God, I. vi. 118. The Pinching Cold and Frostiness of the Night!
1830. E. B. Pusey, Hist. Enquiry, II. 239. The iciness of the state, the chillness of letters, the frostiness of the people.
1851. Hawthorne, Snow Image, etc. (1879), 31. The stars glimmering frostily.
1859. Thulia S. Henderson, Mem. E. Henderson, vi. 392. There are a few who have deemed this and its companion-volumes chargeable with somewhat of ‘frostiness.’
1885. Harper’s Mag., March, 593/1. Her mother met them frostily.
