freeze

1 of 2

verb

froze ˈfrōz How to pronounce freeze (audio) ; frozen ˈfrō-zᵊn How to pronounce freeze (audio) ; freezing

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

freeze

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: an act or instance of freezing
b
: the state of being frozen
2
: a state of weather marked by low temperature especially when below the freezing point
3
: a halt in the production, testing, and deployment of military weapons
a nuclear freeze

Examples of freeze in a Sentence

Verb The children are going to freeze out there without their coats. The cold weather froze the water pipes. Noun The freeze destroyed many oranges. the Midwest will experience an intense freeze later in the week
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
While freezing temperatures will be experienced in parts of northern Florida on Friday and Saturday, this week's cold snap was not expected to result in snowfall anywhere in the state. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024 In February 2021, a winter storm brought days of freezing temperatures that knocked out power and heat to millions of Texans and led to nearly 250 deaths. Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
More:Where will thousands of people experiencing homelessness in Austin go during winter freeze? Skye Seipp, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024 One such suggestion was made by board member Michael Linder and would have cut the funding for all vacant positions, essentially creating a hiring freeze, which would have lowered the budget and use of reserve funds by around $5 million. R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for freeze 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

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

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of freeze was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near freeze

Cite this Entry

“Freeze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/freeze. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

freeze

1 of 2 verb
froze ˈfrōz How to pronounce freeze (audio) ; frozen ˈfrōz-ᵊn How to pronounce freeze (audio) ; freezing
1
: to harden into or be hardened into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
the river froze over
freeze the stew for dinner next week
2
: to be or become uncomfortably cold
turn up the heat—I'm freezing
3
a
: to damage or kill by frost
froze the tomato plants
b
: to anesthetize by cold
4
: to stick by or as if by freezing
the clothes froze to the line
fear froze the driver's hands to the wheel
5
: to clog or become clogged with ice
the water pipes froze
6
: to make or become fixed or motionless
the engine froze
froze in their tracks
7
: to fix at a certain stage or level
freeze prices

freeze

2 of 2 noun
1
: a state of weather marked by low temperature
2
a
: an act or instance of freezing
a wage freeze
b
: the state of being frozen

Medical Definition

freeze

verb
froze ˈfrōz How to pronounce freeze (audio) ; frozen ˈfrōz-ᵊn How to pronounce freeze (audio) ; freezing

intransitive verb

1
: to become hardened into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
2
a
: to become chilled with cold
almost froze to death
b
: to anesthetize a part especially by cold

transitive verb

1
: to cause to harden into a solid (as ice) by loss of heat
2
: to make extremely cold : chill
3
a
: to act on usually destructively by frost
b
: to anesthetize by cold

Legal Definition

freeze

transitive verb
froze; frozen; freezing
1
: to cause to become fixed, immovable, unavailable, or unalterable
freeze interest rates
2
: to immobilize (as by government regulation or the action of a financial institution) the expenditure, withdrawal, or exchange of
freeze foreign assets
3
: to restructure (the capital of a close corporation) so that the value is reflected mostly in preferred stock rather than common stock

Note: Once capital is frozen, the common shares can be transferred to the heirs of the owner without taxation while the owner continues to enjoy the income from preferred stock dividends during his or her lifetime.

freeze noun

More from Merriam-Webster on freeze

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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