seize up

1. Come to a halt, as in The peace talks seized up and were not rescheduled. Originally, from about 1870 on, this term was applied to a machine of some kind that jammed or locked, owing to excessive heat or friction. Its figurative use dates from about 1950.

Example Sentences

Tae recalled how his hands would seize up in the morning, unable to open, paralysed from the previous day's work.

From BBC

In 2023, Lewis Capaldi had to abandon his Glastonbury set, after Tourette's syndrome caused his vocal cords to seize up.

From BBC

By 2007, no-one knew exactly where these grenades were hidden in bank balance sheets, so they all stopped lending to each other – which saw the whole global financial system seize up.

From BBC

Her arms seize up and she struggles to raise them above her shoulders.

From Los Angeles Times

Everywhere, once familiar and trusted systems seize up and crumble.

From New York Times