ˈfrōz ə n adjective
Etymology: Middle English frosen, alteration (influenced by fresen to freeze) of froren, from past participle of fresen to freeze — more at freeze
1.
a. : congealed by cold : affected or crusted over by freezing
a frozen brook
b. : subject to frost or to long and severe cold : chilly
the frozen north
c.
(1) : clogged with ice
frozen water pipes
(2) : injured or killed by cold
frozen plants
d. : chilled, refrigerated — used of foods prepared for the table
frozen custard
frozen fruit salad
2.
a.
(1) : not susceptible or responsive to feeling : drained or incapable of emotion : benumbed
frozen and bitter and visibly tortured by loneliness — Marcia Davenport
(2) : expressing coldness or unfriendliness : not heartfelt or sincere : impassive , frigid , mechanical , stiff
friends give you that frozen look — Clyde Martin
b. : incapable of being changed, moved, or undone : not subject to change or movement : not flexible, dynamic, or plastic : immobile , rigid , petrified, fixed
in the United States today institutions are not frozen — Zechariah Chafee
a frozen social system
stood frozen with terror
thinks there should be no frozen agenda for any meeting — Kiplinger Washington Letter
specifically : debarred from change in status or from movement by law or other official action
workers are frozen in their jobs for the duration of the war
prices and wages are frozen for the emergency
c. : not available for present use : not liquid
frozen inventories
frozen capital
d. of a billiard ball : resting against another ball or a cushion
e. : not subject to being taken unless a player holds a pair to match the top card in rank — used of the discard pile in canasta and related games
• fro·zen·ly - ə nlē, -li adverb
• fro·zen·ness - ə n(n)ə̇s noun -es