freeze
freeze Lexical Profile
freeze Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To turn from a liquid into a solid state such as ice as a result of extreme cold, or to cause a substance to do so.
"Fresh water will freeze when the temperature drops to zero degrees Celsius."
To preserve food or biological specimens by storing them at sub-zero temperatures.
"You can freeze the leftover soup in airtight containers for up to three months."
To feel uncomfortably or painfully cold, or to suffer damage or death from exposure to frost.
"Put on a heavier coat before going outside, or you will freeze waiting for the train."
To suddenly stop moving and become completely motionless, especially out of fear, surprise, or concentration (or of a computer screen becoming unresponsive).
"The deer tended to freeze whenever it heard footsteps rustling through the dry leaves."
To fix wages, prices, or hiring at a particular level, or to legally block financial assets and accounts from being accessed or transferred.
"The central bank moved quickly to freeze the suspect accounts while the audit was underway."
• noun
A period of very cold weather during which temperatures remain below the freezing point of water.
"The sudden autumn freeze damaged much of the late-season citrus crop across the valley."
An official decision or order to temporarily stop something from increasing, changing, or being used, such as wages, prices, or hiring.
"The university announced a temporary hiring freeze until the next fiscal year's budget is approved."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'freeze' with its homophone 'frieze', which refers to a horizontal band of sculpted or painted decoration on a building's wall.
• Rhymes for freeze
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'freosan' (to turn to ice), of Proto-Germanic origin ('*freusanan'), ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root '*preus-', which curiously meant both 'to freeze' and 'to burn' (reflecting the similar stinging sensation of extreme cold and extreme heat).