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| freeze [ freez ] |
verb (past froze [ frōz ], past participle fro·zen [ frṓz'n ], present participle freez·ing, 3rd person present singular freez·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb turn liquid to solid through cold: to change into a solid by the loss of heat, or cause liquid to do this, especially to change into ice
  Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water.
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2. transitive and intransitive verb become covered with ice: to become covered with ice, or cause the surface of something to be covered with ice
The lake froze for only the second time in living memory.
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3. transitive and intransitive verb become blocked with ice: to become blocked with ice, or cause something to become blocked with ice
Do you think it's cold enough to freeze the pipes in the attic?
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4. transitive and intransitive verb become hard through cold: to harden through the effects of cold or frost, or cause something to harden
We couldn't play because the ground was frozen solid.
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5. transitive and intransitive verb become stuck through cold: to become fixed or stuck to something else as a result of cold, or cause something to become fixed in this way
The wipers were frozen to the windshield.
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6. transitive verb preserve something with extreme cold: to preserve something, especially food, by subjecting it to and storing it at a temperature well below freezing point
Store airtight up to two weeks or freeze.
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7. transitive and intransitive verb feel very cold: to feel extremely cold, or cause somebody to feel extremely cold
They left us to freeze outside, while they went into the house.
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8. transitive and intransitive verb be harmed or killed by cold: to be harmed or killed, or harm or kill somebody or something, with cold or frost
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9. intransitive verb drop to freezing point: to be at or fall to a temperature at or below freezing point
The forecast says it's likely to freeze again tonight.
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10. transitive and intransitive verb stop moving: to stop, or cause somebody to stop and remain still, e.g. as a result of fear or surprise or as part of a game
A loose floorboard creaked in the hallway; Jenny froze.
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11. intransitive verb come to standstill through shock: to become unable to act, react, or speak in a normal way, usually through fear or shock
I was OK in rehearsals, but in front of an audience, I simply froze.
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12. intransitive verb stop responding: to stop responding to instructions
(
refers to computers
)
The screen freezes whenever I attempt to save a document.
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13. transitive verb treat somebody icily: to discourage or intimidate somebody by behaving in an unfriendly or hostile way
She froze him with an icy glare.
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14. transitive verb halt something before completion: to halt or limit the development or production of something
The talks remain frozen at the procedural stage.
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15. transitive verb keep something at present level: to fix something such as prices, rents, or wages at a specific level, usually by government action to prevent an increase
Interest rates were frozen at their 1996 level.
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16. transitive verb keep asset from disappearing: to prevent a financial asset from being sold or liquidated
They froze her bank account immediately.
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17. transitive verb prohibit something: to stop the manufacture, sale, or use of something
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18. intransitive verb become unfriendly: to become suddenly unfriendly and uncommunicative
When I asked him about campaign contributions, he simply froze up.
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19. transitive verb anesthetize part of body: to anesthetize part of somebody's body with a local anesthetic
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20. transitive verb stop film at frame: to stop a moving film at a specific frame and show that frame as a still image
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21. transitive verb capture instant of movement: to produce a still photographic image of somebody or something in movement or action
He pressed the Pause button, freezing her delighted expression.
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22. transitive verb keep possession of puck or ball: in sports, to keep possession of the puck or ball and prevent the other team from attempting to score
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noun (plural freez·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. very cold weather: a period when the temperature drops and stays below freezing point, especially for a long time
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2. restriction on something: a restrictive measure that prevents something such as prices, wages, or production from rising above a specific level
a temporary freeze on imports
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| [ Old English frēosan< Indo-European, "freeze, burn"] |
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