freeze

¹freeze

verb \ˈfrēz\

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

Definition of FREEZE

intransitive verb

1

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 speaking

5

: to become clogged with ice <the water pipes froze>

transitive verb

1

a : to harden into ice b : to convert from a liquid to a solid by cold

2

: to make extremely cold : chill

3

a : to act on usually destructively by frost b : to anesthetize by cold

4

: to cause to grip tightly or remain in immovable contact

5

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

Examples of FREEZE

1. The children are going to freeze out there without their coats.
2. The cold weather froze the water pipes.

Origin of FREEZE

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

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to FREEZE

Synonyms: concrete, congeal, firm (up), harden, indurate, set, solidify

Antonyms: liquefy (also liquify), soften

Related Words: cake, callus, encrust (also incrust); clot, coagulate, gel, gelate, gelatinize, jell, jelly, stiffen, thicken; calcify, crystallize (also crystalize), ossify, petrify, rigidify; anneal, case-harden, temper

Near Antonyms: deliquesce, dissolve, flux, fuse, melt, smelt, thaw, unfreeze

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Rhymes with FREEZE

breeze, cheese, ease, feeze, frieze, jeez, lees, please, res, seize, sneeze, squeeze, tease, tweeze, wheeze