Main Entry:

¹freeze

Pronunciation:

\ˈfrēz\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

froze \ˈfrōz\ ; fro·zen \ˈfrō-z^ən\ ; freez·ing

Etymology:

Middle English fresen, from Old English frēosan; akin to Old High German friosan to freeze, Latin pruina hoarfrost, Old English frost frost

Date:

before 12th century

intransitive verb1 a: to become congealed into ice by cold b: to solidify as a result of abstraction of heat c: to withstand freezing <the bread freezes well>2: to become chilled with cold <almost froze to death>3: to adhere solidly by or as if by freezing <pressure caused the metals to freeze>4: to become fixed or motionless ; especially : to become incapable of acting or speaking5: to become clogged with ice <the water pipes froze>transitive verb1 a: to harden into ice b: to convert from a liquid to a solid by cold2: to make extremely cold : chill3 a: to act on usually destructively by frost b: to anesthetize by cold4: to cause to grip tightly or remain in immovable contact5 a: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable <freeze interest rates> b: to immobilize by governmental regulation the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of <freeze foreign assets> c: to render motionless <a fake froze the defender>6: to attempt to retain continuous possession of (a ball or puck) without an attempt to score usually in order to protect a small lead

— freez·ing·ly adverb