sleet

Everyday

1. Sleet is a mix of rain and snow, or small icy drops that fall from the sky. tree →
2. To sleet means that sleet is falling: «It is sleeting». tree →

In the lessons

In science and weather lessons, sleet is a kind of precipitation, along with rain, snow and hail; it happens when the air is close to freezing. In safety, sleet makes roads and paths icy and slippery. Weather forecasts often say «rain turning to sleet».

Examples

• Cold sleet stung our faces on the way to school. tree →
• It started to sleet just as the match began. tree →
• The path was slippery after the sleet. tree →
• Rain, snow, sleet and hail are all kinds of precipitation. tree →
• The forecast says sleet tonight. tree →
• We stayed inside while it sleeted all afternoon. tree →
• Wear a waterproof coat in sleet. tree →

Note

Uncountable noun: «some sleet», never «a sleet». As a verb it uses «it»: «It is sleeting». In the USA sleet usually means small ice pellets; in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand it means wet snow mixed with rain. Hail is bigger, hard balls of ice.