Icebox vs Cooler - What's the difference?

Cooler is a synonym of icebox.

is that icebox is a box or compartment containing ice while cooler is anything which cools.

is that icebox is agreeable, awesome. as a superlative of cool while cooler is comparative of cool.

*ice-box

(es)

A box or compartment containing ice.

(UK) A compartment in a refrigerator that is colder than the rest of the refrigerator and is used as a freezer.

(US) A refrigerator.

*1939 , (Raymond Chandler), The Big Sleep , Penguin 2011, p. 53:

*:‘The sister ran after them and brought them back and had Owen heaved into the icebox .’

* (wikipedia "icebox")

(-)

agreeable, awesome. (as a superlative of cool)

* 1982, Alexei Sayle, The Young Ones [http://www.4q.dk/a51/viewpage.php?page_id=14]

MIKE: Yeah, yeah, so. So we'll forget about the rent, we'll pay you another time, is that cool?

BALOWSKI: Yes, that's absolutely icebox ! See you later, Ford Anglia!

(countable) anything which cools

If acid things were used only as coolers , they would not be so proper in this case. — Arbuthnot.

(countable) an insulated bin or box used with ice or freezer packs to keep food or beverages cold while picnicking or camping

(US, countable, or, uncountable) a mixed drink, especially one served chilled

They served wine coolers in the afternoon.

(US, slang) a prison

"About a year or so back we had him in the cooler on a Mann Act rap." - "The Big Sleep", by Raymond Chandler

(poker, colloquial) A cold deck.

(countable) a bouncer or door man

* car fridge * cool bag, cool box (UK) * chilly bin (New Zealand) * esky (Australia) * ice chest * bouncer

(head)

(cool)

He looks cooler when he's dressed in shorts.

* cooler heads will prevail

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