1 : to be become a hard substance (such as ice) because of cold [no obj] ▪ Water freezes (in)to ice. ▪ The pond froze over. [=the surface of the pond froze] ▪ The pond froze solid. [=the water in the pond froze completely] [+ obj] ▪ The low temperature froze the river (over). 2 [no obj] : to be very cold
▪ The children are going to freeze out there without their coats. ▪ She nearly froze to death. [=nearly died from the cold] 3 : to become blocked or unable to move because of ice [no obj] ▪ The water pipes froze. ▪ My car doors froze. [+ obj] ▪ The cold weather froze the water pipes. 4 : to preserve (food) by storing it in a very cold place [+ obj] ▪ We froze the leftovers. [=we put the leftovers in the freezer] [no obj] ▪ Some vegetables don't freeze well. 5 a [no obj] : to stop moving : to become completely still
▪ The guard ordered him to freeze. ▪ The deer froze in the road as the car approached it.
b [no obj] : to become unable to do or say anything
▪ She froze (up) when the teacher asked her a difficult question.
c [no obj] : to stop working
▪ The engine suddenly froze. ▪ My computer has frozen (up) again.
d [+ obj] : to cause (a person or animal) to stop moving
▪ A fake by the quarterback froze the defender. ▪ The lights of the approaching car froze the deer. 6 [+ obj] a : to stop (something, such as prices or wages) from changing or increasing
▪ The government froze prices on certain materials. ▪ The struggling company had to freeze wages and eliminate several jobs.
b : to stop (money or property) from being used, spent, etc.
▪ The government has frozen foreign assets.