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Ice-nine

(1) Any doomsday catalyst; any precipitator which brings about cataclysmic, apocalyptic change -- yes, Virginia, THE END of the world, Armageddon, "that's all she wrote", APOCALYPTIC #FAIL!

(2) The Unholy Grail of overzealous scientists who in the thoughtless pursuit of "pure science" unwittingly create a doomsday device.

(3) Specifically, the fictional doomsday catalyst envisioned by Kurt Vonnegut in his novel "Cat's Cradle." Ironically, the inventor of Vonnegut's "ice-nine" never intended his creation to be used as a doomsday device; this shortsighted scientist only foresaw "ice-nine" being used for the ploddingly pedestrian purpose of making it possible for combat Marines to march over mud in much the same manner that Jesus is said to have come striding across the tempest-tossed waves of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:24).

EXAMPLES:

(1) ' "Suppose," chortled Dr. Breed, "there were many possible ways water could freeze. Suppose the ice we skate upon -- what we might call ice-one -- is only one type of ice. Suppose water always froze as ice-one because it had never had a seed to teach it how to form ice-two, ice-three, ice-four? Suppose there were one form, which we will call ice-nine -- with a melting point of 130 degrees. " '

-- "Cat's Cradle", Ch. 20

(2) ' Breed asked me to think of Marines in a swamp.

' "Their trucks are sinking in ooze."

' He winked. "But suppose one Marine had a capsule containing a seed of ice-nine, a new way for the atoms of water to stack and lock, to freeze. If that Marine threw that seed into the nearest puddle . . . ?"

' "The puddle would freeze?" I guessed.

' "And all the puddles . . .?"

' "They would freeze?"

' "You bet they would!" he cried. "And the Marines would rise from the swamp and march on!" '

-- "Cat's Cradle", Ch. 21

(3) ' "I keep thinking about that swamp" I said. "If the streams flowing through the swamp froze as ice-nine, what about the rivers and lakes the streams fed?"

' "They'd freeze."

' "And the oceans . . . ?"

' "They'd freeze, of course," Dr. Breed snapped.

' "And the springs . . . ?"

' "They'd freeze, damn it!" he cried.

' "And the rain?"

' "When it fell, it would freeze into hard little hobnails of ice-nine -- and that would be the end of the world!" '

-- "Cat's Cradle", Ch. 22

by Dinkum August 19, 2013

28πŸ‘ 3πŸ‘Ž


Ice-Nine

Ice Nice is a kind of ice (according to Kurt Vonnegut's book Cat's Cradle) that will turn any other liquid material at room temperature into ice with the same properties...

and because of that it is capable of destroying life on earth

Free bag of Ice-nine with 6-pack

by Vaskafdt June 3, 2007

20πŸ‘ 9πŸ‘Ž


Ice Nine

A name for a smokable form of meth

ice nine is whack. dont ever try this shit

by Niac January 25, 2005

10πŸ‘ 15πŸ‘Ž


ice-nine

The name of one of the best, if the not the best unknown bands out there. They are seriously a great band to listen to when you just want to mellow out, jump around, or listen to a damn good band!

Did you see the Ice-Nine show last night? It was fuckin awesome!

by terd April 25, 2005

5πŸ‘ 16πŸ‘Ž


Ice Nine Kills

One of the most amazing bands in the underground scene
as of yet, mostly undiscovered, but gaining their own cult following
responsible for some very awesome songs like
"The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Last Words"
a band that will definitely go big

Woah, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" by Ice Nine Kills just blew my mind

by migueltherocker June 28, 2008

128πŸ‘ 17πŸ‘Ž


Ice Nine Kills

The best heavy metal band I’ve ever heard. I’d suggest checking these guys out if you haven’t heard of them. Yeah they might seem quirky but they’re pretty good.

Person A: Hey have you heard of Ice Nine Kills?
Person B: Yeah, I prefer Set It Off though.

by Ithoughtyoubitchescared February 19, 2020


Ice Nine Kills

One of the most amazing bands in the underground scene
as of yet, mostly undiscovered, but gaining their own cult following
responsible for some very awesome songs like
"The Greatest Story Ever Told" and "Last Words"
a band that will definitely go big

Woah, "The Greatest Story Ever Told" by Ice Nine Kills just blew my mind

by migueltherocker June 28, 2008

52πŸ‘ 12πŸ‘Ž