freezing

American  

[free-zing] / ˈfri zɪŋ /

adjective

1. (of temperatures) approaching, at, or below the freezing point.

2. extremely or uncomfortably cold; chilled.

   We were both freezing and welcomed the hot cocoa.

3. beginning to freeze or partially frozen; frozen; in the process of being or becoming frozen. frozen.

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freezing British  

/ ˈfriːzɪŋ /

adjective

1. informal extremely cold

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Other Word Forms

• freezingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of freezing

First recorded in 1605–15; freeze + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Resorts on the north end of Lake Tahoe could see up to 5 feet, and even Big Bear could get 3 feet, assuming the temperature stays below freezing, according to the website.

From Los Angeles Times

According to the researchers, this level of freezing cannot be explained by a climate system that simply fine tunes itself.

From Science Daily

That year an unusual form of the influenza B virus started circulating and the 'beast from the east' cold snap bought freezing temperatures to the UK, creating the ideal environment for the disease to spread.

From BBC

A small commercial passenger plane goes missing in freezing, windy conditions over the Bering Sea.

From The Wall Street Journal

Agency for International Development, freezing thousands of programs, including ones that provided food, water and medicine around the world.

From Salon

Related Words

• biting
• chilly
• frigid
• frosty
• glacial
• icy
• numbing
• polar
• wintry