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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To freeze up

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.

    Note: Water freezes at 32[deg] above zero by Fahrenheit's thermometer; mercury freezes at 40[deg] below zero.

  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.

    To freeze up (Fig.), to become formal and cold in demeanor.