freeze ◆◇◇ /friː z/ (freezes , freezing , froze , frozen )
1 VERB If a liquid or a substance containing a liquid freezes , or if something freezes it, it becomes solid because of low temperatures. □ [V ] If the temperature drops below 0°C, water freezes. □ [V adj] The ground froze solid. □ [V n] …the discovery of how to freeze water at higher temperatures. □ [V -ed] …frozen puddles. [Also V n adj]
2 VERB If you freeze something such as food, you preserve it by storing it at a temperature below freezing point. You can also talk about how well food freezes . □ [V n] You can freeze the soup at this stage. □ [V adv] Most fresh herbs will freeze successfully.
3 VERB When it freezes outside, the temperature falls below freezing point. □ [V ] What if it rained and then froze all through those months? ● N‑COUNT Freeze is also a noun. □ The trees were damaged by a freeze in December.
4 VERB If you freeze , you feel extremely cold. □ [V ] The windows didn't fit at the bottom so for a while we froze even in the middle of summer.
5 VERB If someone who is moving freezes , they suddenly stop and become completely still and quiet. [WRITTEN ] □ [V ] She froze when the beam of the flashlight struck her.
6 VERB If the government or a company freeze things such as prices or wages, they state officially that they will not allow them to increase for a fixed period of time. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] They want the government to freeze prices. ● N‑COUNT Freeze is also a noun. □ A wage freeze was imposed on all staff earlier this month.
7 VERB If a government freezes a plan or process, they state officially that they will not allow it to continue for a period of time. □ [V n] Britain has already frozen its aid programme. □ [be V -ed] Diplomatic relations were frozen until August this year. ● N‑COUNT Freeze is also a noun. □ …a freeze in nuclear weapons programs.
8 VERB If someone in authority freezes something such as a bank account, fund, or property, they obtain a legal order which states that it cannot be used or sold for a particular period of time. [BUSINESS ] □ [V n] The governor's action freezes 300,000 accounts. □ [be V -ed] Under these laws, he said, Mr. Rice's assets could have been frozen. ● N‑COUNT Freeze is also a noun. □ …a freeze on private savings.
9 → see also freezing , frozen
▸ freeze out PHRASAL VERB If you freeze someone out of an activity or situation, you prevent them from being involved in it by creating difficulties or by being unfriendly. □ [V n P + of ] Other traders did everything they could to freeze us out of the business. [Also V n P ]
▸ freeze over PHRASAL VERB If something freezes over , it becomes covered with a layer of ice or other frozen substance. □ [V P ] The air temperature was well below freezing, and lakes and rivers froze over. □ [V -ed P ] The lakes are still frozen over.
▸ freeze up PHRASAL VERB If something freezes up or if something freezes it up , it becomes completely covered or blocked with ice. □ [V P ] …lavatories that often freeze up in winter. □ [V P n] Ice could freeze up their torpedo release mechanisms. [Also V n P ] COLLOCATIONS freeze NOUN 7
noun + freeze : pay, price, wage
verb + freeze : announce, impose, put VERB
2
freeze + noun : food; eggs, embryo
7
freeze + noun : pay, price, wage
free ze-dried ADJ Freeze-dried food has been preserved by a process of rapid freezing and drying. □ …freeze-dried instant mashed potato. □ …freeze-dried coffee granules.
free ze-frame (freeze-frames ) N‑COUNT A freeze-frame from a film is an individual picture from it, produced by stopping the film or video tape at that point.
freez|er /friː zə r / (freezers ) N‑COUNT A freezer is a large container like a fridge in which the temperature is kept below freezing point so that you can store food inside it for long periods.
freez|ing /friː z I ŋ/
1 ADJ If you say that something is freezing or freezing cold , you are emphasizing that it is very cold. [EMPHASIS ] □ The cinema was freezing. □ …a freezing January afternoon.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that you are freezing or freezing cold , you are emphasizing that you feel very cold. [EMPHASIS ] □ 'You must be freezing,' she said.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Freezing means the same as freezing point . □ It's 15 degrees below freezing.
4 → see also freeze
free z|ing point (freezing points ) also freezing-point
1 N‑UNCOUNT [usu above/below/to N ] Freezing point is 0° Celsius, the temperature at which water freezes. Freezing point is often used when talking about the weather. □ The temperature remained below freezing point throughout the day.
2 N‑COUNT [usu with poss] The freezing point of a particular substance is the temperature at which it freezes.
freight /fre I t/ (freights , freighting , freighted )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Freight is the movement of goods by lorries, trains, ships, or aeroplanes. □ France derives 16% of revenue from air freight.