Definition

1. Noun:
   • An electric appliance designed to produce ice cubes: An "ice machine" is a device, typically a standalone unit or a component of a refrigerator, that freezes water into small, solid pieces of ice for cooling beverages or preserving food.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The hotel's ice machine on the third floor is out of order.
  • We need to buy a new ice machine for the office kitchen.
  • This model of refrigerator includes a built-in ice machine.

Advanced Usage

• Commercial/Industrial Context: In larger settings like restaurants or hospitals, an "ice machine" often refers to a high-capacity, freestanding unit that produces ice in various forms (cubes, flakes, nuggets).
  • The restaurant's industrial ice machine produces over 100 pounds of ice per day.

Variants and Related Words

• Ice maker (n): Often used interchangeably with "ice machine," though it can specifically refer to the ice-producing mechanism inside a refrigerator.
  • The ice maker in my freezer stopped working.
• Ice dispenser (n): A feature, often part of an ice machine, that provides a way to access the ice, typically through a door or chute.
  • The refrigerator has a water and ice dispenser on the front.

Synonyms

• Ice maker: A device that makes ice.
• Ice generator: A more technical term for a machine that produces ice.

Related Phrases

• To be on the fritz (idiom, often used with appliances): To be broken or not working properly.
  • The ice machine has been on the fritz all week.
• To stock/restock the ice machine: To fill the machine with water or ensure it has enough ice available.
  • My job is to restock the ice machine every morning.

Noun

1. an electric refrigerator to supply ice cubes