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freezing

/ˈfɹiːz.ɪŋ/

verb

Meaning

  • Especially of a liquid, to become solid due to low temperature.

    "The lake froze solid."

  • To lower something's temperature to the point that it freezes or becomes hard.

    "Don't freeze meat twice."

  • To drop to a temperature below zero degrees celsius, where water turns to ice.

    "It didn't freeze this winter, but last winter was very harsh."

  • To be affected by extreme cold.

    "Don't go outside wearing just a t-shirt; you'll freeze!"

  • (of machines and software) To come to a sudden halt, stop working (functioning).

    "Since the last update, the program freezes / freezes up after a few minutes of use."

  • (of people and other animals) To stop (become motionless) or be stopped due to attentiveness, fear, surprise, etc.

    "Despite all of the rehearsals, I froze up as soon as I got on stage."

  • To cause someone to become motionless.

  • To lose or cause to lose warmth of feeling; to shut out; to ostracize.

    "Over time, he froze towards her, and ceased to react to her friendly advances."

  • To cause loss of animation or life in, from lack of heat; to give the sensation of cold to; to chill.

  • To prevent the movement or liquidation of a person's financial assets

    "The court froze the criminal's bank account."

  • Of prices, spending etc., to keep at the same level, without any increase.

Synonyms

solidify,
halt,
immobilize,
freeze up,
grind to a halt,
hang,
lock up,
seize,
seize up

noun

Meaning

  • The change in state of a substance from liquid to solid by cooling to a critically low temperature.

  • The action of numbing with anesthetics.

Synonyms

frost

adjective

Meaning

  • Suffering or causing frost

  • (by extension) Very cold

Synonyms

frigorific,
frosty,
ice-cold,
icy