immobilize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to make immobile or immovable; fix in place.
-
to prevent the use, activity, or movement of.
The hurricane immobilized the airlines.
-
to deprive of the capacity for mobilization.
The troops were immobilized by the enemy.
-
Medicine/Medical. to prevent, restrict, or reduce normal movement in (the body, a limb, or a joint), as by a splint, cast, or prescribed bed rest.
-
to render (an opponent's strategy) ineffective; stymie.
-
Finance.
-
to establish a monetary reserve by withdrawing (specie) from circulation.
-
to create fixed capital in place of (circulating capital).
-
verb
-
to make or become immobile
to immobilize a car
-
finance
-
to remove (specie) from circulation and hold it as a reserve
-
to convert (circulating capital) into fixed capital
-
Other Word Forms
- immobilization noun
- immobilizer noun
Etymology
Origin of immobilize
1870–75; immobile + -ize; mobilize and compare French immobiliser
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To be certain the sounds came from the knees, the doctors wanted to immobilize the sisters’ knee joints.
From Literature
Without that capability, a robotaxi fleet is “immobilized capital,” New Street Research analysts wrote in a report in December.
It’s also known that Waymo pays humans to physically deal with vehicles immobilized by — for example — a passenger’s failure to fully close a car door when exiting.
From Los Angeles Times
A stock market that supposedly facilitates capital flows thus immobilizes capital within companies.
From Barron's
A single freeze-up can knock out an entire weapons platform or immobilize a convoy.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
