icily

comparative more icily · superlative most icily

1. In the manner of ice; with a cold or chilling effect.

   The cold Alpine air flowed icily into his car, so he stopped by the roadside to put on a leather trench-coat, thick scarf, and woollen hat[…]

   1971, Alan Sillitoe, Travels in Nihilon, page 76

   Synonyms: coldly

2. figurativelyIn an uncaring or coolly angry manner.

   "So I was made to look the fool?" Jason said icily.

   1958, A.G. Yates, The Cold Dark Hours, Sydney: Horwitz, published 1963, page 164

   2 more examples

   […]quite often her husband and Jo did not eat at home, or sat icily silent through a meal.

   1943, M. F. K. Fisher, “To Feed Such Hunger”, in The Gastronomical Me

   Bond had pulled her head back by her hair and had kissed her once, long and cruelly. Then he had told her to go to sleep and had leant back and waited icily for his body to leave him alone.

   1957, Ian Fleming, chapter 22, in From Russia With Love

   Synonyms: aloofly, coldly