(of a screw, nail, or the like) to become rigidly fixed in place, as from rust or dirt.
to become fixed to something by or as if by the action of frost.
to become unfriendly, secretive, or aloof (often followed by up): He froze at such a personal question.
to become temporarily inoperable; cease to function (often followed by up): The new software made my computer freeze.
verb (used with object),froze,fro·zen,freez·ing.
to harden into ice; change from a fluid to a solid form by loss of heat; congeal.
to form ice on the surface of (a river, pond, etc.).
to harden or stiffen (an object containing moisture) by cold.
to quick-freeze.
to subject to freezing temperature; place in a freezer or in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator.
to cause to suffer the effects of intense cold; produce the sensation of extreme cold in.
to cause to lose warmth as if by cold; chill with fear; dampen the enthusiasm of.
to cause (a person or animal) to become fixed through fright, alarm, shock, etc.: Terror froze him to the steering wheel.
to kill by frost or cold: A late snow froze the buds.
to fix fast with ice: a sled frozen to a sidewalk.
to obstruct or close (a pipe or the like) by the formation of ice: The storm had frozen the hydrant.
to fix (rents, prices, etc.) at a specific amount, usually by government order.
to stop or limit production, use, or development of: an agreement to freeze nuclear weapons.
Finance. to render impossible of liquidation or collection: Bank loans are frozen in business depressions.
Surgery. to render part of the body insensitive to pain or slower in its function by artificial means.
Cards.
Canasta.to play a wild card on (the discard pile) so as to make it frozen.
Poker.to eliminate (other players) in a game of freezeout.
to photograph (a moving subject) at a shutter speed fast enough to produce an unblurred, seemingly motionless image.
Movies. to stop by means of a freeze-frame mechanism: You can freeze the action at any point.
Sports. to maintain possession of (a ball or puck) for as long as possible, usually without trying to score, thereby reducing the opponent's opportunities for scoring.
Ice Hockey. to hold (a puck) against the boards with the skates or stick, causing play to stop and forcing a face-off.
noun
the act of freezing; state of being frozen.
Also called ice-up. Meteorology. a widespread occurrence of temperatures below 32°F (0°C) persisting for at least several days: A freeze is expected in the coastal areas.
a frost.
a legislative action, especially in time of national emergency, to control prices, rents, production, etc.: The government put a freeze on new construction.
a decision by one or more nations to stop or limit production or development of weapons, especially nuclear weapons.
Verb Phrases
freeze on/onto, Informal. to adhere closely to; hold on; seize.
freeze out, to exclude or compel (somebody) to withdraw from membership, acceptance, a position of influence or advantage, etc., by cold treatment or severe competition.
freeze over, to coat or become coated with ice: The lake freezes over for several months each year.
Origin of freeze
before 1000; (v.) Middle Englishfresen,Old Englishfrēosan; cognate with Middle Low Germanvrēsen,Old Norsefrjōsa,Old High Germanfriosan (Germanfrieren); (noun) late Middle Englishfrese, derivative of the v.
Related formsfreez·a·ble, adjectivefreez·a·bil·i·ty, nounde·freeze, verb (used with object),de·froze,de·fro·zen,de·freez·ing.non·freez·a·ble, adjectivepost·freeze, adjectivepre·freeze, verb (used with object),pre·froze,pre·fro·zen,pre·freez·ing.re·freez·a·ble, adjectivere·freeze, verb,re·froze,re·fro·zen,re·freez·ing.un·freez·a·ble, adjectiveCan be confusedfreezefrieze
to change (a liquid) into a solid as a result of a reduction in temperature, or (of a liquid) to solidify in this way, esp to convert or be converted into ice
(when intr, sometimes foll by over or up) to cover, clog, or harden with ice, or become so covered, clogged, or hardenedthe lake froze over last week
to fix fast or become fixed (to something) because of the action of frost
(tr)to preserve (food) by subjection to extreme cold, as in a freezer
to feel or cause to feel the sensation or effects of extreme cold
to die or cause to die of frost or extreme cold
to become or cause to become paralysed, fixed, or motionless, esp through fear, shock, etche froze in his tracks
(tr)to cause (moving film) to stop at a particular frame
to decrease or cause to decrease in animation or vigour
to make or become formal, haughty, etc, in manner
(tr)to fix (prices, incomes, etc) at a particular level, usually by government direction
(tr)to forbid by law the exchange, liquidation, or collection of (loans, assets, etc)
(tr)to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or use of (something specified)
(tr)to stop (a process) at a particular stage of development
(tr)informalto render (tissue or a part of the body) insensitive, as by the application or injection of a local anaesthetic
(intr foll by onto) informal, mainlyUSto cling
noun
the act of freezing or state of being frozen
meteorola spell of temperatures below freezing point, usually over a wide area
the fixing of incomes, prices, etc, by legislation
Old English freosan "turn to ice" (class II strong verb; past tense freas, past participle froren), from Proto-Germanic *freusanan (cf. Old Norse frjosa, Old High German friosan, German frieren "to freeze," Gothic frius "frost"), from Proto-Germanic *freus-, equivalent to PIE root *preus- "to freeze," also "to burn" (cf. Sanskrit prusva, Latin pruina "hoarfrost," Welsh rhew "frost," Sanskrit prustah "burnt," Albanian prus "burning coals," Latin pruna "a live coal").
Transitive sense first recorded 14c., figurative sense c.1400. Meaning "become rigid or motionless" attested by 1720. Sense of "fix at a certain level, make non-transactable" is 1922. Freeze frame is from 1960, originally "a briefly Frozen Shot after the Jingle to allow ample time for Change over at the end of a T.V. 'Commercial.' " ["ABC of Film & TV," 1960].
