Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - thaw

~1 v 1 also thaw out if ice or snow thaws or is thawed, it becomes warmer and turns into water  (The lake thawed in March. | it thaws (=ice and snow melt))  (It thawed overnight.) 2 also thaw out to let frozen food unfreeze until it is ready to cook  (Thaw frozen meat in its packet and then cook as soon as possible.) 3 to become friendlier and less formal  (After a few glasses of wine Robert began to thaw a little.) ~2 n 1 a period of warm weather during which snow and ice melt  (The thaw begins in March.) 2 an improvement in relations between two countries after a period of unfriendliness