freeze

Everyday

1. Of a liquid: to become solid ice because it is very cold. tree →
2. To keep food very cold in a freezer so it lasts. tree →
3. To feel very cold: «I'm freezing!». tree →
4. To stop moving suddenly and stay still, often from fear: «Freeze!». tree →
5. Of a computer or screen: to stop working. tree →
6. A noun: a time of very cold weather; or a stop: a price freeze. tree →

In the lessons

In science: water freezes at 0 °C (32 °F); freezing is the change from liquid to solid, the opposite of melting; water gets bigger when it freezes, so bottles can crack and pipes burst. In safety: frozen ponds may have thin ice — stay off; frostbite in freezing weather; freeze and back away slowly from some animals. Phrases: freezing point, freezing cold, frozen food, freeze up, freeze to death, brain freeze, play musical statues (freeze).

Examples

• Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius. tree →
• We freeze leftover soup to eat later. tree →
• I'm freezing — where's my coat? tree →
• The rabbit froze when it saw the fox. tree →
• My game froze, so I restarted it. tree →
• The pond froze overnight, but the ice is too thin to walk on. tree →
• Ice cream gave me brain freeze. tree →
• Freeze! said the teacher, and everyone stood still. tree →
• ‘My dear child, it is far too cold; you might freeze to death.’ tree →

Note

Irregular: freeze, froze, frozen (not «freezed»). Homophone: «frieze» (a pattern on a wall). In maths and science: 0 °C = 32 °F is the freezing point of water; salt water freezes at a lower temperature. Never refreeze defrosted meat without cooking it.