seize up
phrasal verb
seized up; seizing up; seizes up
Definition of seize up
: to stop working because the moving parts can no longer move
The engine/brakes suddenly seized up.
—sometimes used figuratively Her brain seized up when she tried to answer the question.
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“Seize up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seize%20up. Accessed 21 Jan. 2022.
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