I. freeze 1 S3 W3 /friːz/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense froze /frəʊz $ froʊz/, past participle frozen /ˈfrəʊz ə n $ ˈfroʊ-/)
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ freeze , ↑ freezer , ↑ freezing , ↑ antifreeze ; adjective : ↑ freezing , ↑ frozen ; verb : ↑ freeze ; adverb : ↑ freezing ]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: freosan ]
1 . LIQUID [intransitive and transitive] if a liquid or something wet freezes or is frozen, it becomes hard and solid because the temperature is very cold ⇨ melt , thaw :
The lake had frozen overnight.
2 . FOOD [intransitive and transitive] to preserve food for a long time by keeping it at a very low temperature, or to be preserved in this way:
I think I’ll freeze that extra meat.
Tomatoes don’t freeze well.
3 . MACHINE/ENGINE [intransitive] if a machine, engine, pipe etc freezes, the liquid inside it becomes solid with cold, so that it does not work properly:
The water pipes have frozen.
4 . WEATHER it freezes if it freezes outside, the temperature falls to or below ↑ freezing point :
Do you think it’ll freeze tonight?
5 . FEEL COLD [intransitive] to feel very cold:
I nearly froze to death watching that football match.
6 . WAGES/PRICES [transitive] if a government or company freezes wages, prices etc, they do not increase them for a period of time:
The government has been forced to cut spending and freeze public-sector wages.
7 . MONEY/PROPERTY [transitive] to legally prevent money in a bank from being spent, property from being sold etc:
The court froze their assets.
8 . STOP MOVING [intransitive] to stop moving suddenly and stay completely still and quiet:
I froze and listened; someone was in my apartment.
freeze with
She froze with horror.
9 . FILM [transitive] to stop a film or video in order to be able to look at a particular part of it ⇨ freeze-frame :
He froze the picture on the screen.
10 . sb’s blood freezes used to say that someone is very frightened or shocked:
I heard his scream and felt my blood freeze.
freeze somebody ↔ out phrasal verb
to deliberately prevent someone from being involved in something, by making it difficult for them, being unkind to them etc:
Why did you freeze me out?
freeze over phrasal verb
if an area or pool of water freezes over, its surface turns into ice:
The lake has frozen over.
freeze up phrasal verb
1 . if a machine, engine, or pipe freezes up, the liquid inside becomes solid with cold so that it does not work properly SYN freeze
2 . to suddenly be unable to speak or act normally:
I wouldn’t know what to say. I’d just freeze up.
II. freeze 2 BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ freeze , ↑ freezer , ↑ freezing , ↑ antifreeze ; adjective : ↑ freezing , ↑ frozen ; verb : ↑ freeze ; adverb : ↑ freezing ]
1 . [countable] a time when people are not allowed to increase prices or pay
a price/pay/wage freeze
freeze on
a freeze on pay rises
2 . [countable] the stopping of some activity or process
freeze on
The government have imposed a freeze on civil service appointments.
3 . [singular] British English a period of extremely cold weather
4 . [countable usually singular] American English a short period of time, especially at night, when the temperature is extremely low
⇨ ↑ deep freeze