freeze
freeze / frēz/ • v. (past froze / frōz/ ; past part. fro·zen / ˈfrōzən/ ) 1. [intr.] (of a liquid) be turned into ice or another solid as a result of extreme cold: in the winter the milk froze. ∎ [tr.] turn (a liquid) into ice or another solid in such a way. ∎ (of something wet or containing liquid) become blocked, covered, or rigid with ice: the pipes had frozen. ∎ [tr.] cause (something wet or containing liquid) to become blocked, covered, or rigid with ice: the ground was frozen hard. ∎ be or feel so cold that one is near death (often used hyperbolically): you'll freeze to death standing there. ∎ [tr.] (of the weather) cause (someone) to feel so cold that they are near death. ∎ (of the weather) be at or below freezing: at night it froze again. ∎ [tr.] deprive (a part of the body) of feeling, esp. by the application of a chilled anesthetic substance. ∎ [tr.] treat (someone) with a cold manner; stare coldly at (someone): she would freeze him with a look when he tried to talk to her.2. [tr.] store (something) at a very low temperature in order to preserve it: the cake can be frozen. ∎ [intr.] (of food) be able to be preserved in such a way: this soup freezes well.3. [intr.] become suddenly motionless or paralyzed with fear or shock: Mathewson froze on the spot, unable to take the next step. ∎ stop moving when ordered or directed.4. [tr.] hold (something) at a fixed level or in a fixed state for a period of time: new spending on defense was to be frozen. ∎ prevent (assets) from being used for a period of time: the charity's bank account has been frozen. ∎ stop (a moving image) at a particular frame when filming or viewing: the camera will set fast shutter speeds to freeze the action. ∎ [intr.] (of a computer screen) become temporarily locked because of system problems.• n. 1. an act of holding or being held at a fixed level or in a fixed state: workers faced a pay freeze. ∎ short for freeze-frame.2. inf. a period of frost or very cold weather: the big freeze surprised the weathermen.PHRASES: freeze one's blood (or one's blood freezes) fill (or be filled) with a sudden feeling of great fear or horror.PHRASAL VERBS: freeze someone out inf. behave in a hostile or obstructive way so as to exclude someone from something.DERIVATIVES: freez·a·ble / -zəbəl/ adj.fro·zen·ly adv.ORIGIN: Old English frēosan (in the phrase hit frēoseth ‘it is freezing, it is so cold that water turns to ice’), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch vriezen and German frieren, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin pruina ‘hoarfrost’ and frost.
freeze
See also cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.