freeze
/friːz/- 1.
To become very cold and turn into ice or hard solid form. It can also mean to make something cold enough to become ice.
- The lake freezes in winter.
- Freeze the milk before use.
- My hands froze in the snow.
- 2.
To stop moving suddenly, or to make someone stop moving because of fear, surprise, or instructions.
- He froze when he heard the noise.
- Freeze! Don't move.
- The whole room froze for a moment.
- 3.
To keep something at the same level or in the same condition, especially prices, wages, or accounts.
- The company froze salaries this year.
- The government froze fuel prices.
- They froze the account after the complaint.
A sudden period of very cold weather.
- There was a hard freeze last night.
- The plants died in the freeze.
- We expect another freeze tomorrow.
Adinary Nuance
Freeze is broader than cold words like chill or frost because it can mean both the action and the result. It is also different from stop: freeze often suggests sudden, complete stillness, sometimes from fear. In business writing, freeze is common for prices, wages, or accounts, where hold or pause may sound less firm.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- đóng băng
- Spanish
- congelar
- Chinese
- 冻结
- Japanese
- 凍る
- Korean
- 얼다
Etymology
Old English frēosan meant 'turn into ice' and comes from Proto-Germanic. The word has kept its core meaning for many centuries, then gained newer senses like stopping suddenly and keeping prices fixed.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is freeze more formal than stop?
- Yes, sometimes. Freeze can sound stronger and more sudden than stop, especially in commands or reports.
- What is the difference between freeze and chill?
- Freeze means turn into ice or stop suddenly. Chill means make something cooler, but not enough to freeze.
- Can freeze be used in business English?
- Yes. People often say freeze wages, freeze prices, or freeze an account.
- What does 'freeze' mean in 'I froze'?
- It usually means you suddenly became unable to move, often from fear, shock, or very cold weather.