icily

/ˈaɪsɪli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈaɪsɪli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈīsə̇lē -li/ (ame, mw)

icily — adverb

1. behaving or speaking in a very cold, unfriendly way, showing no emotional warmth

1.副詞C2
釋義

behaving or speaking in a very cold, unfriendly way, showing no emotional warmth or connection toward the people around you

例句

'I have nothing to say to you,' Amina replied icily, turning away from her colleague.

"replied icily" — adverb after verb of speaking

The headmistress icily informed the student that his rude comments were not welcome in class.

"icily informed" — adverb before verb

同義詞
  • coldly

    more common and slightly less intense; can describe literal cold (of weather) as well as manner

  • frostily

    suggests a sharp, stinging unfriendliness, often in response to a slight

  • frigidly

    implies a complete absence of warmth or affection, often in a personal relationship

反義詞
  • warmly

    with genuine friendliness and emotional openness

  • cordially

    in a polite, friendly, and sincere manner

文法句型

verb + icily

icily + verb

用法筆記

Commonly placed before or after verbs of speaking (say, reply, inform, ask) or looking (stare, glare, regard). The unexpected placement with verbs like smile creates a deliberate contrast between a pleasant action and an unfriendly tone.

常見錯誤

❌She stared icily at him.' (generic — lacks concrete context)
✅Eleanor stared icily at her ex-husband across the courtroom.
💡icily needs a specific scene to feel natural; a vague sentence wastes the word's dramatic weight.