n.
Pronunciation: ' fr ē z
Function: verb
Inflected Form: froze \ ' fr ō z \ ; fro · zen \ ' fr ō -z ə n \ ; freez · ing
Etymology: Middle English fresen, from Old English fr ē osan; akin to Old High German friosan to freeze, Latin pruina hoarfrost, Old English frost frost
Date: before 12th century
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 freeze s 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