Definition of freeze-up
plural -s
1
: a freezing over of a body of water especially when marking the onset of winter
- goes on duty in April, just before the swans arrive, and stays with them until they leave at freeze-up
- —Lyn Harrington
2
: a period during which the bodies of water in an area are frozen over
- the freeze-up lasted six weeks last year
- before the freeze-up sets in
- —V. E. Fuchs
- all their food for seven months had to be taken to camp before the winter freeze-up
- —Bill Wolf
