I. ˈfrēz verb
( froze ˈfrōz ; fro·zen ˈfrō-z ə n ; freez·ing )
Etymology: Middle English fresen, from Old English frēosan; 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
II. noun
Date: 15th century
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