ice-fall

A large ice-fall cascades down a steep mountain slope.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A steep part of a glacier resembling a frozen waterfall: "ice-fall" refers to a section of a glacier where the ice flows over a steep drop, creating a chaotic, crevassed surface similar to a waterfall but made of ice.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The climbers had to navigate the treacherous ice-fall to reach the summit. (A steep, broken section of a glacier.)
  • The glacier’s ice-fall was visible from miles away, a jumble of towering seracs. (A dramatic, frozen cascade on a glacier.)

Advanced Usage

• "ice-fall zone": an area on a glacier characterized by severe crevasses and ice blocks.

  • The expedition set up camp below the ice-fall zone for safety. (A dangerous region of the glacier.)

• "to cross an ice-fall": to traverse a steep, broken glacier section.

  • They spent hours crossing the ice-fall, roped together for security. (To move through a hazardous glacial feature.)

Variants and Related Words

• Icefall (n): alternative spelling (often used as a single word).

  • The icefall was impassable after the recent storm. (Same as "ice-fall".)

• Serac (n): a block of ice formed in an ice-fall.

  • A serac collapsed, creating a loud crack. (A distinct ice block within an ice-fall.)

Synonyms

• Glacier cascade: a poetic term for a steep ice formation.
• Ice cascade: a general term for frozen water flowing over a drop.

Related Idioms

• "to be in the ice-fall": to be in a difficult or dangerous situation (rare, metaphorical).
  • The negotiations were in the ice-fall, with no easy way forward. (In a precarious or stuck position.)