to freeze up

1 definition found

to freeze up - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Freeze \Freeze\, v. i. [imp. Froze (fr[=o]z); p. p. Frozen
     (fr[=o]"z'n); p. pr. & vb. n. Freezing.] [OE. fresen,
     freosen, AS. fre['o]san; akin to D. vriezen, OHG. iosan, G.
     frieren, Icel. frjsa, Sw. frysa, Dan. fryse, Goth. frius
     cold, frost, and prob. to L. prurire to itch, E. prurient,
     cf. L. prna a burning coal, pruina hoarfrost, Skr. prushv[=a]
     ice, prush to spirt. ? 18. Cf. Frost.]
     1. To become congealed by cold; to be changed from a liquid
        to a solid state by the abstraction of heat; to be
        hardened into ice or a like solid body.
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     Note: Water freezes at 32[deg] above zero by Fahrenheit's
           thermometer; mercury freezes at 40[deg] below zero.
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     2. To become chilled with cold, or as with cold; to suffer
        loss of animation or life by lack of heat; as, the blood
        freezes in the veins.
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     To freeze up (Fig.), to become formal and cold in demeanor.
        [Colloq.]
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