'To freeze up' definitions:

Definition of 'To freeze up'

From: GCIDE
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: Water freezes at 32[deg] above zero by Fahrenheit's thermometer; mercury freezes at 40[deg] below zero. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • To freeze up (Fig.), to become formal and cold in demeanor. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Words containing 'To freeze up'